UCS6  tfBRARY 


• 


GILBERT     STARR 


HIS  LESSONS 


BT 

GLANCE   GAYLORD, 

AUTHOR  OF  "THE  BOYS  AT  DR.  MURRAY'S." 


BOSTON: 

A.NT)     YOTJNGr, 

NO.    24    CORNHILL. 

1867. 


Entered,  according  to  Art  of  Congress,  In  the  year  1866,  by 

GRAVES  &  YOUNG, 
In  the  Clerk's  Ottice  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


fraying 
THAT    THE    BOYS     WILL     LIKE 


Cilbrrt 


SYMPATHIZE    WITH    HIM    AS     HE     FINDS    HIMSELF    LED    INTO 
CAPTrVITT   BY 

miDE     AISTD    AMBITION, 

AHD 

REJOICE  WHSX   HB  STRUGGLES   OCT   INTO   A   BETTER   FSEEDOM, 

THE    AUTTTOR 

Dfifcatfs   tfjts  book  to  them; 

HOPING,    ALSO, 

THAT  IF  SUCH  EFFORTS  ARE  NEEDED,  THEY  WILL  MOT  FAIL 
TO  MAKE  THEM  IK  THEIR  OWN  BEHALF. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

PA  or. 

RAINFORD   BOYS 9 

CHAPTER   II. 
GILBERT'S  PROTEGE         .......       26 

CHAPTER    III. 
SEEKING  A  RENTING  PLACE 47 

CHAPTER    IV. 
SUNDAY   AFTERNOON 68 

CHAPTER    V. 
ABOUT  THE  FLAG     .        ...       .       .       .       .       .       90 

CHAPTER    VI. 
THE  RACE 110 

CHAPTER    VII. 
WHAT  A  NOTE  REVEALED 130 

CHAPTER   VIII. 
SKIRMISHING .      151 

CHAPTER    IX. 
WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES 171 


CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER    X. 

PAOB. 

A  TROUBLE  APPEARS       , 192 

CHAPTER    XI. 
UNDER  A  CLOUD .       •       .      213 

CHAPTER    XII. 
RACE  NUMBER  Two .        235 

CHAPTER    XIII. 
HONORS      .       .       .       . 257 

CHAPTER    XIV. 
MAKING  RESTITUTION 278 

CHAPTER   XV. 
A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS       ....      300 

CHAPTER   XVI. 
REBELLION 322 

CHAPTER    XVII. 
How  HE  ENDURED  iv 343 

CHAPTER   XVIII. 
"MY  LESSONS" 366 


GILBERT  STARR  AND  HIS  LESSONS. 


CHAPTER   I. 

KAINFORD    BOYS. 

A  PLEASANT  half-holiday  they  were 
having  at  Mr.  Winterhalter's  school 
that  afternoon,  —  pleasant  for  more  reasons" 
than  one.  In  the  first  place,  it  was  sweet, 
calm  summer  weather,  which  was  very  en- 
joyable, and  they  were  having  all  kinds  of 
games  on  the  lawn;  and,  added  to  this, 
was  a  pleasant  consciousness  that  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter's eyes  for  once  were  absent,  the 
master  of  the  Rainford  School  being  called 
suddenly  to  a  distant  town.  Half-holidays, 


10  GILBERT   STARR. 

too,  were  no  common  occurrences,  and  this 
made  the  unusual  pleasure  a  great  deal 
sweeter. 

Now,  this  lawn  where  the  Rainford  boys 
were  playing  was  a  very  large  and  pleas- 
ant one,  though  the  boys  were  forbidden 
to  pass  beyond  the  low  thorn  hedge  which 
marked  the  play-ground,  and  just  beyond 
this  boundary  it  sloped  broad  and  green  and 
lovely  to  the  river-edge,  —  the  great,  placid 
river  which  cut  Eainford  town  in  halves, 
and  bore  its  freights  to  the  sea.  Across 
the  river,  directly  opposite  Mr.  "Winter- 
halter's,  the  land  rose  abruptly,  and  prom- 
inent among  the  clustered  dwellings  was  a 
great  building  which  towered,  with  its  many 
stories,  above  all  the  rest.  This  was  a  rival 
boarding-school  for  boys,  so  that  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter's  young  gentlemen,  when  at  play  on 
their  lawn,  could  see  the  pupils  of  the  great 
school  over  the  river  run  and  leap,  and  even 


KAINFORD   BOYS.  11 

hear  them  shout  over  their  cricket.  A 
bright,  pleasant  out-look  it  was  from  this 
sunny  lawn,  with  a  wide  riew  of  the  still, 
deep  river,  dotted  with  sails  and  pleasure- 
boats  ;  the  little  picturesque  boat-houses  in 

the  shadow  of  the   steep  hill ;    the   narrow 

i 
• 

river-road,  winding  along  the  bank,  where 
the  drays  and  lumber-wagons  crept  along  all 
day,  and  the  hill-side  itself,  with  its  great 
school  building,  its  waving  foliage,  and  its 
shining  roofs  and  towers. 

And  as  Gilbert  Starr,  and  a  half-dozen  of 
the  other  large  boys  of  Mr.  Winterhalter's 
school,  came  out  of  the  gymnasium  that 
afternoon,  they  stopped  on  the  lawn  to  look 
at  the  bright  scene  before  them.  Not  that 
they  cared  particularly  for  its  beauties,  nor 
did  they  discover  any  new  object  of  ad- 
miration, but  at  that  moment  they  were 
thinking  of  Professor  Eoth's  boys,  over  the 
river. 


12  GILBERT   STARE. 

"  I  declare,"  said  Gilbert,  as  they  paused, 
"  I  don't  believe,  after  all,  that  Roth's  boys 
get  any  more  half-holidays  than  we  do. 
They  havn't  had  one  to  my  knowledge  this 
term,  while  we've  had  one  —  two — *  three. 
Is  it  two  or  three,  Albert?"  he  asked,  turn- 
ing to  the  boy  nearest  him. 

"  Two,"  said  Albert  Turner. 

"  And  this  will  be  the  third,"  said  Gil- 
bert ;  "  now  I  say  Mr.  Winterhalter  is  a 
clever  fellow,  anyhow  !  " 

Albert  Turner  laughed,  and  said,  "  Gil- 
bert's wonderfully  fond  of  Mr.  Winterhalter 
since  he  gave  permission  to  challenge  the 
Roths.  I  wonder  how  long  it  will  last?  " 

"  Till  I  get  into  trouble  again,  I  suppose," 
said  Gilbert ;  "  which,  by  the  way,  I've  re- 
solved not  to  do  this  term.  I've  turned  over 
a  new  leaf." 

The  boys  laughed  at  the  idea  of  Gilbert 
Starr's  turning  over  a  new  leaf,  and  loitered 


RAINFOED   BOYS.  13 

• 

on  the  steps,  hardly  knowing  what  to  do 
with  themselves. 

Gilbert's  was  a  frank,  pleasant  face,  with 
great  gray  eyes,  which  could  look  grave  Or 
merry,  just  as  their  owner  chanced  to  feel. 
He  was  the  tallest  of  all  the  boys,  and  their 
acknowledged  leader.  Whatever  Gilbert 
Starr  said  or  did,  Mr.  Winterhalter's  boys 
thought  was  right.  They  emulated  his  feats 
in  the  gymnasium ;  they  strove  to  imitate  his 
manly  bearing ;  the  Boating  Club  made  him 
their  captain;  the  little  boys  brought  him 
their  disputes  to  settle  ;  and  there  he  was,  — 
not  yet  sixteen,  —  ruling  a  miniature  king- 
dom of  his  own. 

How  this  came  about,  no  one  could  really 
tell.  Even  Mr.  Winterhalter  was  puzzled  to 
know  why  Gilbert  should  be  so  popular.  Ho 
always  seemed  to  have  his  own  way,  and  to 
compromise  with  no  one ;  and  yet  that  way 
the  majority  were  always  sure  to  pronounce 


14  G1LBEKT    STARE. 

right.  So  the  principal  concluded  that  the 
boy  was  one  of  those  persons  who  arc  "  born 
to  rule,"  and  congratulated  himself  that  Gil- 
bert took  it  into  his  head  to  lead  his  follow- 
ers into  nothing  that  was  very  bad.  Yet 
Gilbert's  ruling  was  far  from  right ;  and  it 
was  not  much  wonder  that  one  who  felt  him- 
self looked  up  to  as  a  model,  whose  sway  no 
one  disputed,  whose  word  was  law  among 
the  small  boys,  should  grow  proud  and  self- 
ish, —  though  it  was  all  hidden  under  pleas- 
ant ways,  so  that  no  one  suspected  its  pres- 
ence. True,  Gilbert  never  did  anything 
very  bad,  —  nothing  that  was  shocking  or 
fraught  with  great  evil,  —  yet  he  never  used 
his  great  power  for  good. 

Now,  as  he  and  his  comrades  loitered  on 
the  steps,  watching  those  who  were  at  play, 
he  exclaimed,  "  Come  !  don't  let's  waste  all 
the  afternoon.  Get  your  pen  and  ink,  Al- 
bert, and  we'll  all  go  down  under  the  ash 


RALNFOED   BOYS.  15 

tree,  and  draw  up  the  challenge.  It  ought 
to  be  sent  over  in  two  or  three  days,  for 
they'll  want  a  while  to  think  of  it,  most  like- 
ly, and  a  week  or  two  for  practice,  and  it 
will  be  a  month  before  the  race  comes  off !  " 

Leaving  Albert  Turner  to  go  after  his 
writing  materials,  the  boys  sauntered  away 
in  the  direction  of  the  great  ash  tree,  which 
spread  its  shadow  over  one  fourth  of  the 
lawn.  As  they  came  around  the  corner  of 
the  piazza  which  fronted  Mr.  Winterhalter's 
study,  Gilbert  caught  sight  of  some  one  sit- 
ting in  the  shadow  of  the  syringa  bushes,  and 
exclaimed,  "  Who  in  creation  is  this?" 

The  boys  stopped  to  look.  A  pale-faced 
boy  sat  there,  —  a  boy  three  or  four  years 
younger  than  Gilbert,  —  looking  very  sad 
and  homesick,  and  much  as  if  he  had  been 
crying.  He  was  a  slender,  slight  little 
fellow,  and  shrank  from  the  gaze  of  the  cool, 
curious  eyes  which  were  bent  upon  him. 


16  GILBERT   STARR. 

"I  say,  who's  this?"  Gilbert  repeated, 
moving  nearer  the  stranger;  "  a  new  boy, 
eh  !  What's  your  name  ?  " 

At  that  instant  some  one  tugged  at  Gilbert 
from  behind.  It  was  little  Ned  Rogers,  the 
smallest  boy  in  school. 

"  I  can  tell  you  what  his  name  is,"  said 
he,  in  a  whisper;  "it's  Perry  Kent,  and 
he's  just  come,  and  he's  awful  homesick ; 
and  he  hasn't  any  father  or  mother  either, 
Mrs.  Winterhalter  told  me ;  and  she  said  I 
was  to  play  with  him,  but  I  can't  get  him  to 
play  a  bit.  Won't  you  tell  him  he's  to  get 
up  and  run  about? " 

Just  then  Albert  Turner  came  up  with  his 
pens  and  paper,  —  Albert  was  secretary  of 
the  Boating  Club,  —  and  Gilbert  turned 
away  with  his  friends  to  the  ash  tree.  He 
couldn't  stop  to  say  a  comforting  word  to  the 
little  homesick  fellow,  —  how  could  he  ?  — 
with  so  much  important  business  to  be  done, 


RAINFORD   BOYS.  17 

and  all  waiting  for  him  to  do  it !  and  besides, 
the  idea  of  such  a  thing  never  once  entered 
his  head. 

From  under  the  ash  tree  there  was  a 
splendid  out-look  on  the  river,  and  the  yard 
of  Professor  Roth's  school,  and  while  these 
principal  members  of  the  Boating  Club  sat 
there  in  conference,  they  saw  the  boys  of 
that  school  come  out  for  intermission. 

!?  Well,"  said  Gilbert,  looking  at  them, 
"  we'll  show  the  Riverside  boys  what  we  can 
do  with  boats  in  a  few  weeks.  Ho\f  do  you 
get  on  with  the  challenge,  -Albert?" 

The  secretary,  who  was  busy  with  his  pen, 
replied  that  the  document  was  not  yet  ready 
for  criticism,  and  resumed  his  scribbling. 

"  And  oh,  there's  another  thing!"  cried 
Gilbert;  "Mr.  Winterhalter  said,  just  be- 
fore he  went  away  this  noon,  that  if  every 
boy  in  the  first  class  would  have  perfect  les- 
sons for  the  next  three  weeks,  he  would  offer 


18  GILBERT   STARR. 

a  splendid  new  flag  for  a  prize  to  the  win- 
ners. Isn't  it  nice  of  him?  Professor  Roth 
can  do  no  less  next  year." 

The  secretary  looked  up  from  his  paper  to 
say,  laughingly,  "  Mr.  Winterhalter  knows 
his  purse  won't  suffer  much.  The  first  class 
can't  go  three  weeks  with  perfect  lessons 
every  day." 

"  That's  so  !  "  said  Tom  Fowler,  who  was 
the  greatest  rogue  and  the  dullest  scholar  in 
school ;  "I  can't  get  perfect  lessons  a  week  ; 
so  there* goes  our  chance  for  a  flag  !  " 

"  Shame  on  you ! "  said  Gilbert,  impa- 
tiently ;  "  you're  the  greatest  dunce,  Tom  ! 
—  and  to  have  to  lose  the  flag  011  account  of 
your  dull  brains!  —  I  wish  you  were  in  the 
primary  department,  learning  your  A-B- 
C's !  " 

"  Then  what  would  you  do  for  an  oars- 
man?" asked  Tom,  with  a  twinkle  of  the 
eye,  for  he  was  a  capital  hand  at  rowing. 


RAINFORD   BOYS.  19 

!f  Well,  we  can't  get  along  without  you, 
that's  a  fact,"  Gilbert  admitted ;  "  and  if  we 
get  the  flag  at  all,  somebody's  got  to  help 
your  dull  wits,  I  suppose.  Come,  I'll  awry 
double  for  three  weeks,  if  you'll  only  try  to 
help  yourself  a  little ;  and  between  us  both, 
perhaps,  you  can  manage  to  squeeze  through 
without  a  failure." 

"I'll  help  him  with  his  arithmetic  les- 
sons," said  Ray  Hunter,  who  was  fond  of 
that  study. 

"  But  the  Latin  !"  exclaimed  Tom,  with  a 
hopeless  face. 

"  Gilbert  and  I  will  manage  that,"  said  the 
secretary. 

"  And  I'll  look  up  the  answers  to  the  his- 
tory questions,"  said  Barry  White. 

"  There  !  "  said  Gilbert,  "  between  us  all, 
I  should  think  we  might  draw  this  great  hulk 
of  a  fellow,  even  if  he  hasn't  got  any  brains 


20  GILBERT    STARE. 

of  his  own.  What  an  easy  time  Tom '11  have 
of  it  for  the  next  three  weeks  !  " 

"  Not  so  very  easy,  if  you're  all  going  to 
poke  fun  at  me  like  that !  "  said  Tom,  grum- 
blingly. 

"  But  what  if  Mr.  Winterhalter  should  find 
it  out?"  said  Ray  Hunter;  "we  should  all 
be  in  disgrace  then,  and  lose  the  flag  besides, 
most  likely." 

"Pshaw!"  cried  Gilbert;  "I'll  take  all 
the  responsibility.  Mr.  Winterhalter  needn't 
trouble  himself  how  the  lessons  arc  got,  so 
long  as  they're  perfect.  And  if  there's  any 
punishment  to  bear,  I'll  take  it." 

This  was  one  of  the  little  speeches  which 
made  Gilbert  popular,  and  this  was  where  he 
used  his  influence  for  wrong.  Had  he  made 
the  least  remonstrance  against  breaking  the 
principal's  rules,  the  boys  would  have  acqui- 
esced ;  but,  instead,  he  used  his  power  to 
further  a  bad  plan. 


RAINFORD   BOYS.  21 

Hero  the  secretary  picked  up  his  papers, 
saying,  "  Now  be  still  a  minute,  will  you? 
Here  is  the  challenge,  ready  to  be  copied, 
and  I  want  your  opinion.  What  a  racked 
those  'little  chaps  are  making  !  Now  listen  : 

•  'RAINFORD,  East-Side,  July  10th. 

'  The  members  of  the  East-Side  Boating 
Club  challenge  the  members  of  the  Riverside 
Club  to  race  on  the  river,  two  weeks  from 
the  date  of  this  note,  —  the  challenged  to  use 
their  new  boat  "  Mermaid,"  and  the  chal- 
lengers to  row  their  new  boat  "  Triton." 
An  early  reply  is  solicited. 
'  Respectfully, 

'  ALBERT  TURNER, 
'  Sec.  E.  S.  Boating  Club.' " 

The  secretary  folded  his  paper,  and 
waited  for  comments.  The  rest  of  the  boys 
looked  at  Gilbert,  and  waited  also. 


22  GILBERT   STARR. 

''  Well,"  said  he,  after  a  few  minutes  of 
reflection,  "  I  like  that,  Albert.  It's  short, 
and  to  the  point,  and  that's  what  we 
wanted." 

:t  You  don't  say  anything  about  the  flag," 
said  Barry  White. 

"  Of  course  not !  "  said  Gilbert  >  "  we'll 
wait  till  we're  sure  of  it,  I  reckon.  Now, 
how  does  that  suit  you,  boys?" 

The  boys  announced  their  satisfaction. 

"  Then,"  said  Gilbert,  "  it's  all  right,  Mr. 
Secretary,  and  you  can  send  it  over  to  the 
Riverside  Club  just  as  soon  as  you  choose. 
And  when  you  get  an  answer,  just  let  us 
know.  And  tell  Mr.  Winterhalter,  will 
you,  that  ^  we're  going  to  try  for  that  flag ! 
You  can  see  him  this  evening,  after  he  gets 
back*"  And  with  that,  Gilbert  jumped  up, 
saying,  "  I  can't  stay  here  another  minute. 
There's  a  dozen  things  I  was  to  do  this  after- 


RAINFORD   BOYS.  23 

noon,  and  not  one  of  them  done  yet !  "  And 
off  he  walked,  followed  by  his  friends. 

A  half-dozen  little  boys  met  him  before  he 
had  gone  far,  clamoring  loudly  about  mar- 
bles, and  the  way  they  had  been  cheated  by 
an  older  boy ;  but  Gilbert  drove  them  away, 
saying,  "  I  can't  'tend  to  you  now  !  — you're 
forever  quarrelling.  Go  away,  the  whole  of 
you!" 

His  next  interruption  was  from  Ray  Hun- 
ter. "  Look  there,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the 
syringa  bushes,  and  pulling  Gilbert's  sleeve, 
"  that  little  chap's  in  trouble.  They're 
plucking  him  finely  ! " 

Gilbert  looked,  and  saw  a  clamorous 
crowd  of  boys,  of  all  sizes.  In  the  midst  of 
them  was  the  sad-faced  little  fellow,  whom 
he  had  previously  noticed,  and  undergoing 
.  such  torments  as  only  school-boys  can  de- 
vise. A  boys'  boarding-school  is  a  hard 
enough  place  at.,  best,  but  for  timid,  soft- 


24  GILBERT   STARR. 

hearted  little  fellows,  not  old  enough  nor 
stout  enough  to  win  their  way  in  the  great 
crowd,  it  is  a  place  of  perpetual  torment. 
They  are  sure  to  be  thrown  down  in  the 
race,  and  trampled  upon.  And  little  Perry 
Kent,  —  timid,  shrinking,  and  just  from  a 
dead  mother's  grave  —  a  mother  dead  but  a 
week,  —  had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  the 
Philistines  already.  And  rare  times  were 
the  Philistines  having  with  the  prize  they  had 
captured. 

They  had  robbed  him  —  more  in  sport  at 
the  sight  of  his  terror  than  anything  else  — 
of  his  knife,  a  little  purse  of  money,  and 
all  the  little  knick-knacks  Avhich  they  could 
find  in  his  pockets.  These  they  had  dis- 
tributed among  themselves,  pretending  to  the 
unfortunate  victim  that  he  had  looked  his  last 
on  his  treasures.  They  carried  him  about  in 
their  arms,  singing  mock  lullabies,  and  call- 
ing him  "  Little,  precious,  darling  baby." 


RAINFORD   BOYS.  25 

They  dandled  him  upon  their  knees,  —  as  if 
he  •  were  a  three-year-old,  —  and  shouted 
with  laughter  at  the  sight  of  his  shame  and 
terror.  Some  one  carried  off  his  hat,  and  in 
the  confusion  one  shoe  had  got  lost,  or  car- 
ried off,  and  there  seemed  great  danger  of 
his  being  torn  to  pieces.  Just  as  Gilbert 
and  his  party  drew  near,  the  largest  boys  in 
the  crowd  were  tossing  him  in  the  air,  — 
catching  the  terrified  victim,  as  he  de- 
scended, in  their  arms. 


CHAPTER    II. 
GILBERT'S    PROTEGE. 

ILBERT  STARR  looked  on  a  few  min- 
utes  in  indifference.  He  had  witnessed 
such  scenes  a  hundred  times  since  he  had 
been  at  Mr.  Winterhalter's.  To  be  sure  the 
principal  had  expressly  forbidden  such  per- 
formances, yet  every  luckless  new-comer, 
were  he  a  small  boy,  had  to  submit  to  such  a 
merciless  initiation.  Suddenly  he  noted  how 
pale  the  poor  victim  grew  under  this  ordeal, 
and  something  stirred  his  heart.  He  could 
not  himself  have  told  what  prompted  him  to 
interfere. 

"  Look  here  !  "  said  he,  leaving  his  follow- 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  27 

ers,    and    stepping    into    the    noisy  group, 
"  what  are  you  doing  to  this  little  chap?" 

*'  Shaking  him  up  !  stirring  up  his  ideas  !  " 
answered  the  boys,  still  continuing  their  sport. 

"Well,"  said  Gilbert,  coolly,  "I  advise 
you  to  let  him  alone." 

The  boys  stopped  in  astonishment.  They 
knew  Gilbert  had  witnessed  such  scenes  time 
and  time  again,  and  never  had  he  offered  to 
interfere.  They  doubted  their  ears.  What 
could  Gilbert  Starr  care  for  this  puny  little 
new-comer  ? 

'  Why,  —  why,"  some  of  the  boys  stam- 
mered, "  what  do  you  mean?" 

"  I  mean,"  said  Gilbert,  looking  very  de- 
termined, "  that  if  any  of  you  touch  this 
little  chap  again,  I'll  throw  you  all  into  the 
river.  Do  you  hear?  run  away  and  leave 
him  alone." 

Though  this  threat  was  not  taken  literally, 
the  crowd  saw  that  Gilbert  meant  what  he 


28  GILBERT    STARE. 

said,  and  fell  back.  Perry  Kent,  being  thus 
suddenly  released  from  his  persecutors,  burst 
into  tears,  and  clung  tremblingly  to  his  lib- 
erator. 

Now,  if  there  was  one  thing  that  Gilbert 
detested  more  than  another,  it  was  a  boy 
that  cried.  Strong  of  heart  and  body  him- 
self,—  not  particularly  sensitive  to  ridicule, 
—  able  to  cope  with  the  few  annoyances  he 
encountered,  how  could  he  know  or  sym- 
pathize with  tender-hearted  Perry's  grief? 
So  he  said,  rather  roughly,  —  though  he  was 
not  intentionally  unkind,  —  "  Come,  little 
fellow,  what  are  you  snivelling  about  ?  Wipe 
your  eyes,  and  don't  be  a  baby !  The 
boys' 11  all  plague  you,  if  you  do  like  that. 
You  must  get  used  to  'em."  And,  having 
bestowed  this  advice,  and  released  himself 
from  Perry's  hold,  he  passed  on  without  fur- 
ther thought  of  the  little  boy's  troubles. 

His  comrades  began  to  joke  him  about  the 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  29 

• 

matter  as  soon  as  they  had  left  the  unfor- 
tunate new-comer  behind. 

"  How  came  you  to  do  it,  Gilbert?"  asked 
Ray  Hunter ;  "I've  seen  you  stand  by  at 
such  times,  when  little  chaps  were  getting  it 
harder  than  this  one  was,  and  not  lift  a 
finger." 

"  So  have  I,"  said  Barry  White. 

"Well,  what  of  it?"  queried  Gilbert; 
"  that's  nobody's  affair.  And  if  I  don't 
choose  to  see  a  little  fellow  tormented  to 
death,  who've  I  to  answer  to  ?  I'm  going  up 
to  my  room  now,  and  I  wish  you  wouldn't 
tag.  I'll  be  back  in  half  an  hour." 

So  his  followers,  being  thus  curtly  dis- 
missed, had  nothing  to  do  but  throw  them- 
selves on  the  grass,  and  wait  his  return. 

Little  Perry  Kent,  finding  himself  alone, 
sat  down  under  the  syringas,  and  sobbed  as 
if  his  heart  would  break.  It  had  been  all  he 
could  do,  when  left  to  himself  upon  his  ar- 


30  GILBERT    STARR. 

• 

rival,  to  keep  back  the  tears ;  but  now,  after 
what  had  happened,  they  flowed  unrestrain- 
edly. Only  a  few  short  days  before,  his 
dear  mother  had  kissed  him  good-by,  and 
died,  and  now  here  was  he,  —  motherless, 
fatherless,  friendless, — alone  in  this  great 
school,  with  a  disheartening  prospect  before 
him.  What  wonder,  then,  that  the  little  boy 
wept,  and  wished  himself  dead  and  sleeping 
with  the  dear  one  whose  kind  voice  and 
loving,  soothing  counsel  his  heart  yearned 
for? 

Oh  !  never  so  brightly  the  river  might  shine 
^on  its  way  to  the  sea,  and  the  birds  sing  in 
the  great  ash  tree,  and  merrily  the  boys 
might  be  playing  all  about  him,  but  for  them 
all  he  had  neither  eye  nor  ear.  So  he 
sobbed,  in  his  retreat  under  the  friendly 
shrubs,  and  no  one  interrupted  his  lonely 
thoughts,  till  a  friendly,  freckled  face  peered 
in  at  him,  and  whispered,  "  Say  !  " 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  31 

Perry  fancied  his  tormentors  had  returned, 
and  so  did  not  look  up  till  the  voice  re- 
peated, "  Say ! " 

'What?"  said  Perry,  looking  up  to  see 
little  Ned  Rogers  standing  there. 

"  Come,  don't  you  cry  any  more,"  said  the 
freckled  face,  "  'tain't  good  for  you,  and  be- 
sides, it's  babyish.  Why  didn't  you  come 
and  play,  as  I  wanted  to  have  you?  then  you 
wouldn't  have  got  tossed  up  so." 

"  I  can't  play,  —  I  don't  want  "to,"  said 
Perry,  with  quivering  lips. 

"  Don't  want  to  play  ?  My  !  —  but  you'll 
get  over  that  before  you've  been  here  long. 
Oh,  but  didn't  you  get  off  easy,  though?" 
said  Ned,  exultingly. 

"  Get  off  easy?"  said  Periy,  not  compre- 
hending. 

'  Yes  !  I  mean  didn't  you  get  away  from 
those  fellows  nice !  Why,  they'd  have 
tossed  you  up  an  hour,  perhaps,  if  that  fel- 


32  GILBERT   STAER. 

low  hadn't  come  along  and  stopped  'em. 
They  shake  boys  up  dreadfully,  sometimes. 
When  I  first  came  here,  they  almost  knocked 
my  breath  out  of  me,  and  no  one  offered  to 
stop  'em,  either.  Oh,  but  it  was  lucky  for 
you  that  Gilbert  Starr  came  along  just 
then ! " 

"  Gilbert  who?"  asked  Perry. 
« 

"  Gilbert  Starr !  and  he's  a  splendid  fel- 
low. He's  the  tallest  in  school,  and  the 
smartest,'  and  everybody  likes  him,  and  he 
can  beat  everything  at  cricket !  When  he 
tells  anybody  to  stop  a  thing,  they  have  to 
do  it,  I  can  tell  you  !  He's  just  like  a  king, 
here;  but  he's  a  real  good  one,  and  I  like 
him." 

"  Does  he  always  do  right?"  asked  Perry, 
forgetting  his  tears. 

"  Of  course  he  does ! "  answered  Ned, 
whose  ideas  of  right  and  wrong  were  some- 
what limited,  "  and  you  may  think  yourself 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  33 

lucky  that  he  took  so  much  notice  of  you. 
He  never  did  such  a  thing  for  me,  anyhow." 

Perry  felt  very  grateful,  and  wiped  his 
eyes. 

"  Now,"  said  the  freckled  face,  "  where' s 
your  shoe  ?  " 

The  new-comer  looked  down  at  his  feet, 
and  was  aware  for  the  first  time  that  one  of 
his  shoes  was  gone.  His  face  grew  sad 
again. 

'  Well,  don't  you  mind,"  said  Ned,  good- 
naturedly,  "  Til  look  it  up.  Guess  'tain't  far 
off!"  And  after  searching  on  the  lawn  and 
under  the  shrubbery,  he  brought  back  the 
shoe  to  its  grateful  owner. 

Perry  put  it  on,  and  found  his  hat  near  by, 
under  the  syriugas. 

"How  long  are  you  going  to  stay?" 
Master  Ned  now  ventured- to  inquire. 

This  brought  all  the  lonely  thoughts  back. 

"Oh,  dear ! "   said  Perry,  almost  broken- 


34  GILBERT   STARE. 

heartedly,  "I've  got  to  stay  here  a  great 
while,  I  suppose,  —  till  —  till  I'm  a  great, 
grown  boy." 

"  That  ain't  so  very  bad,"  said  Ned,  con- 
solingly ;  "I  think  it's  a  splendid  place  to 
live.  Just  see  how  pleasant  'tis  down  to- 
wards the  river';  and  we  have  boat-races 
every  summer ;  and  we  can  see  the  big  boys 
row  at  sundown,  and  there's  lots  of  things  to 
see  and  do,  and  the  boys  are  first-rate  when 
you  get  acquainted  with  'em.  Oh  !  I  think 
it's  a  great  deal  better  than  home  !  " 

The  new-comer  looked  at.  the  glittering 
river,  and  the  emerald  slope,  and  the  hill- 
side beyond,  with  its  clustering  dwellings, 
but  saw  them  all  through  such  sad  eyes,  that 
nothing  looked  beautiful. 

Ned's  eyes  followed,  and  he  said,  "  That's 
Mr.  .Roth's  great  boarding-school  that  you 
see  on  the  hill,  but  it  isn't  so  pleasant  as 
this.  Their  cricket  ground  don't  begin  with 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  35 

ours,  and  then  they  havn't  got  a  fellow  half 
so  smart  as  our  Gilbert  Starr.  Oh,  you'd 
ought  to  see  him  in  a  boat,  or  at  the  bat  I 
Their  fellows  can't  begin  ! " 

By  this  time  Perry  began  to  feel  somewhat 
in  awe  of  the  wonderful  Gilbert. 

"  Doesn't  he  ever  plague  the  little  boys?" 
he  asked. 

"  He  9  No,  indeed  !  " .  said  Ned.  "  He's 
above  that,  I  can  tell  you.  He  don't  look  at 
us  very  eften.  But  don't  sit  here  any 
longer.  The  afternoon's  'most  gone,  and  3  ou 
havn't  played  a  bit,  nor  got  acquainted  with 
the  boys.  It's  supper  time  at  six  o'clock ; 
that  '11  be  here  before  long.  .Ain't  you 
hungry?  Come,  now,  we'll  go  out  on  the 
lawn  with  the  rest." 

But  Perry  shrank  back,  fearful.  He  hard- 
ly wished  to  make  further  acquaintance  with 
his  schoolmates. 

"Oh,   don't  you  be   afraid ! "    said   Ned, 


36  GILBERT   STARR. 

confidently ;  "  nobody  '11  dare  touch  you, 
now  that  Gilbert  Starr's  told  them  not. 
Come  on;  you've  got  to,  some  time." 

This  was  true,  and  Perry  felt  that  it  might 
as  well  be  now  as  any  time ;  accordingly  he 
followed  his  good-natured  friend,  with  much 
inward  shrinking  and  reluctance. 

Gilbert  Starr  came  down  from  his  room, 
and  found  his  comrades  waiting  his  ap- 
pearance. 

"I'd  ought  to  go  down  to  Rainford  this 
very  minute,"  said  he,  "  and  get  some  paper 
and  pencils ;  but  there's  Tom's  lessons  for 
to-morrow  staring  me  in  the  face,  —  every 
one  of  them  a  failure,  unless  he  has  help.  So 
I  move  that  we  get  the  poor  fellow's  books, 
and  look  out  the  answers  to  the  questions, 
and  set  him  at  his  task.  What  say  you, 
Tom?" 

"It's  going  to  be  awful  tedious  work,  hav- 
ing perfect  lessons  every  day  for  three 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  37 

weeks,"  said  Tom,  with  a  doleful  coun- 
tenance. 

The  boys  laughed. 

'  You  won't  have  the  worst  of  it,  by  any 
means,"  said  Albert  Turner,  "  for  we've  goi 
to  lift  you  by  main  strength  over  the  whole 
long  stretch  of  lessons.  I  declare  !  it's  as 
much  as  the  boat-race  is  worth,  anyhow." 

'  That's  so,"  said  Ray  Hunter. 

"  But  there's  no  help  for  it,"  said  Gilbert, 
;*  for  Tom's  in  the  first  class,  and  we  can't 
make  it  otherwise.  So  get  your  books,  old 
fellow,  and  let  us  get  at  the  work.  Albert, 
you  aud  I  will  take  his  translations,  Ray  shall 
solve  his  problems,  and  Barry,  there,  can 
have  the  questions  in  history.  I'm  thankful 
Tom  don't  have  any  more  studies.  If  he  had 
as  many  as  you,  Ray,  it  would  be  impossible 
to  get  him  through.  How  fortunate  that 
Mr.  Winterhalter  isn't  at  home  this  after-. 


38  GILBERT   STARR. 

noon.  We  shall  have  to  look  sharp,  boys, 
when  he  gets  back." 

Pretty  soon  Tom  returned  from  the  school- 
room, and  threw  his  books  on  the  grass, 
apparently  glad  to  get  rid  of  the  trouble 
of  carrying  them. 

"  Good  riddance  to  'em,"  said  he,  "  and  I 
wish  I'd  never  got  to  look  in  them  again." 

The  party  on  the  grass  divided  the  books 
among  themselves,  and,  with  paper  and  pen- 
cils —  which  Tom  had  the  forethought  to 
bring — set  to  work,  while  he  nonchalant- 
ly looked  on. 

Around  them  the  fair,  sweet  sunshine  — 
getting  low  and  level  —  fell  on  the  short, 
rich  grass;  a  cool  breeze  sprang  up,  to  sigh 
about  them,  and  whisper  of  coming  even-tide. 
Far  below,  white  sails  danced  and  fluttered, 
and  boats  dropped  down  with  the  tide  toward 
the  sea.  The  echo  of  shouts  floated  over 
from  where  the  Riverside  boys  were  enjoy- 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  39 

ing  cricket  after  school;  and  just  then  it 
seemed  the  brightest  and  cheeriest  spot  on 
the  wide  earth. 

Gilbert  was  the  first  to  get  through,  and 
pushed  away  books  and  work  with  a  sigh  of 
satisfaction  that  it  was  done,  and  sat  silently 
regarding  the  pleasant  stir  and  life  about 
him.  Everything  and  everybody  were  very 
joyous  and  happy,  he  thought,  and  this 
bustling,  active  life  was  well  worth  living. 
Tom  had  at  last  fallen  asleep,  and,  his  other 
friends  being  hard  at  work,  Gilbert  got  up 
and  walked  away  across  the  play -ground, 
thinking  he  would  see  whether  Mr.  Winter- 
halter  had  returned. 

The  little  boys  were  making  great  noise 

and  clamor  in  the  ground  beyond,  and  just 

» 
as   Gilbert   came   around  the    piazza-corner 

there  was  a  hurried  rush  of  feet,  mingled 
with  shouts  of  laughter  and  sport,  and  a  little 
figure,  fleeing  from  its  pursuers,  ran  plump 


40  GILBERT   STARR. 

into  him.  The  shock  of  collision  would  have 
knocked  the  little  boy  backward,  had  not  the 
larger  one  caught  him  in  his  arms  ;  and  there 
the  fugitive  clung  with  all  his  strength,  as  if 
it  were  his  only  refuge. 

"  Oh,  don't  let  them  get  me !  don't  let 
them  get  me ! "  cried  he,  in  a  voice  which 
could  be  none  other  than  Perry  Kent's. 

Gilbert  was  vexed.  lie  disliked  little 
boys  very  much,  and  to  have  this  one  thrust 
upon  him  twice  in  one  afternoon  was  more 
than  he  chose  to  bear.  Some  very  harsh, 
contemptuous  words  were  on  his  lips,  but  at 
that  instant  Perry  looked  up  so  pleadingly 
and  so  sorrowfully,  that  they  were  not  ut- 
tered. With  that,  Gilbert  turned  to  the 
boys. 

"  Look  here,  Copp,"  'said  he,  to  the  leader 
of  Perry's  pursuers,  "  did  you  hear  what  I 
told  you  this  afternoon?" 

Sam  Copp  hung  his  head,  and  fell  back. 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  41 

"  I  declare  !  "  said  Gilbert,  hotly,  — in 
reality  more  angry  because  his  commands 
had  been  disobeyed,  than  because  of  Perry's 
persecution,  —  "I've  a  good  mind  to  thrash 
you  soundly !  I  would,  if  this  little  chap 
•weren't  hold  of  me !  Now,  look  here, 
every  boy  of  you !  If  you  touch  him, 
or  trouble  him  again,  I'll  take  the  whole  of 
you  at  once,  and  see  whether  I'll  be  both- 
ered this  way.  Do  you  understand?  He's 
under  my  care  now,  and  whoever  plagues 
him  will  have  to  answer  "to  me ! " 

The  boys  moved  away,  muttering  and 
wondering,  leaving  Perry  and  his  champion 
together.  Gilbert  unclasped  the  little  boy's 
hands,  and  put  him  down  on  the  walk. 

"Crying,  are  you?"  said  he,  looking 
7ery  much  disgusted ;  "  come,  don't  be 
such  a  miserable  little  baby !  Why  didn't 
you  turn  around,  and  use  your  fists  on  those 
fellows?  But  they  won't  touch  you  again, 


42  GILBERT   STARK. 

so  you  can  dry  your  eyes  and  run  about 
as  much  as  you  please.  If  they  do  touch 
you,  I'll  duck  'em  all.  Now,  dou't  run 
into  me  again,  nor  let  me  see  you  crying 
for  the  next  six  months,"  and  with  that  he 
started  to  pass  by.  But  Perry  clung  to 
him,  —  clung  so  tenaciously,  and  with  such 
an  appealing  look,  that  Gilbert  was  forced 
to  stop,  biting  his  lips  with  vexation. 

"I'm  in  for  it  now,"  he  said  to  himself; 
"I've  got  this  little,  whimpering  baby  fast- 
ened to  me,  to  pay  for  giving  him  a  lift. 
O,  botheration!  I  wish  I'd  let  the  boys 
eat  him  up,  first."  Then  aloud,  — 

"  Come,  what' re  you  hanging  on  to  me 
for?  I'm  in  a  hurry.  I  —  I  —  confound 
it !  if  you  ain't  crying  again !  Now,  look 
here,"  said  Gilbert,  looking  as  threaten- 
ingly out  of  his  gray  eyes  as  possible,  "  if 
you  don't  stop  your  whimpering  I'll  carry 
you  straight  back  to  the  boys,  and  tell  'em 


GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  43 

to  eat  you  alive  for  all  I  care.  Do  you 
hear?  Now,  what  do  you  want  of  me?" 

Periy  released  his  hold,  and  sat  down 
resignedly  on  the  grass.  Something  in  his 
hopeless,  broken-hearted  aspect,  touched 
Gilbert's  heart  more  than  any  tears  or  en- 
treaties could  have  done.  He  began  to 
relent  a  little.  Looking  across  the  lawn 
to  be  sure  that  his  comrades  were  not  in 
sight,  he  stooped  beside  the  little  boy,  say- 
ing, in  what  was  meant  for  a  comforting 
tone, — 

'  You  do  beat  the  Dutch  at  crying,  but 
I  don't  know  as  you  can  help  it.  Come, 
we'll  go  and  ask  Mrs.  Winterhalter  if  she 
can  give  a  hungry  little  boy  something 
to  eat.  I  dare  say  your  mother  left  you 
some  cakes  and  things,  for  luncheon,  when 
she  went  away." 

"  I  haven't  any  mother,"  said  Perry, 
tremulously. 


44  GILBERT   STAKE. 

"  No  more  have  I,"  said  Gilbert,  after 
a  pause,  in  which  his  tone  grew  softer; 
"  and  haven't  you  a  father?" 

"  No,"    Perry   said,    without  looking   up. 

Gilbert  reflected,  with  arms  folded  and 
eyes  off  on  the  river.  Could  it  be  that 
his  proud  heart  was  actually  touched  a 
little  by  Perry's  condition?  If  it  were,  he 
would  have  been  ashamed  to  confess  it, 
for  a  vast  quantity  of  false  ideas  had  crept 
into  the  boy's  brain,  prominent  among 
which  was  the  one  that  all  kinds  of  tender 
emotions  and  sympathy  were  weak  and  un- 
manly. He  never  showed  them  —  never  ! 
But  when  he  turned  about  he  took  Perry's 
hand  without  a  word,  and  led  him  along 
the  winding  walk,  across  the  lawn,  and 
straight  to  his  companions.  They  began 
to  laugh  as  soon  as  he  came  in  sight.  But 
Gilbert  walked  gravely  into  their  midst, 
saying,  — 


.     GILBERT'S  PROTEGE.  45 

"  Gentlemen,  allow  me  to  introduce  to 
you  my  protege.  His  name  is  —  really,  I 
don't  know  what  it  is,  but  you  will  please 
to  treat  him  with  the  utmost  consideration 
for  my  sake.  Hold  up  your  head,  my 
boy,  and  say,  'how  d'ye?'  to  the  gentle- 
men." 

This  was  said  with  such  a  fatherly  air 
and  tone,  that  the  boys  shouted  with  mer- 
riment. Perry  began  to  tremble,  lest  he 
had  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Philistines  of 
a  larger  growth.  But,  when  his  friends 
had  done  laughing,  Gilbert  said,  in  his 
natural  tone,  and  quite  kindly  for  him, — 

"  I  expect  you'll  treat  this  little  fellow 
well,  boys,  and  not  make  a  fag  of  him. 
I've  taken  him  under  my  charge  till  he 
gets  used  to  the  place  a  little,  and  I'll 
answer  for  him ;  and  you  shall  f  nswer  to 
me  if  he's  ill-treated.  I'm  going  to  see  if 


46  GILBERT    STARE. 

Mr.    Wiuterhalter's    got   back;  —  stay  here 
till   /  get  back,"    and   off  be   hurried. 

Perry  sat  down  on  the  grass,  with  a  heart 
full  of  gratitude  to  Gilbert  Starr,  and  here 
found  the  first  restful  moment  since  his 
arrival.  The  boys  gave  him  no  particular 
attention,  but  began  to  joke  among  them- 
selves about  Gilbert,  and  he-  was  left  to 
himself  to  wonder  at  and  enjoy  the  fresh, 
steady  breeze  blowing  off  the  river ;  —  the 
deep,  dark  shadow  of  the  hill,  where  the 
sails  gleamed  like  white  wings ;  the  glow- 
ing, glittering  roofs  and  towers  above  in 
the  sunshine — and  to  think  it  was  all  very, 
very  beautiful. 


CHAPTER  III. 

SEEKING    A    RESTING    PLACE. 

ME.  WINTERHALTER  was  a  kindly- 
looking,  bald-headed  man,  with  bushy 
whiskers  streaked  with  gray.  He  sat  at  the 
head  of  the  supper-table  that  night,  and  there 
Perry  Kent  saw  him  for  the  first  time.  The 
boys  were  seated  in  the  order  of  their  classes, 
the  first  class,  composed  of  Gilbert  and  his 
friends,  sitting  nearest  the  head  of  the  long 
table,  and  the  other  classes  in  their  order. 
Perry,  who  as  yet  belonged  to  none,  would 
have  had  a  hard  matter  to  find  a  chair  in 
the  long  line,  had  not  Gilbert's  strong  hand 
again  interposed  in  his  behalf,  and  found  him 


48  GILBERT   STARR. 

a  seat  a  little  way  below  himself.  And  when 
tea  was  over,  and  the  boys  were  going  back 
to  finish  the  holiday  on  the  lawn,  Perry  had 
another  experience  of  his  friend's  kindness. 

"  See  here,"  said  Gilbert,  meeting  him  in 
the  door- way,  "have  you  been  examined?" 

Perry  answered,  "  No." 

!t  Well,  come  with  me,  and  have  it  over 
with.  'Twon't  take  long,  and  then  you'll 
know  what  class  you're  to  take,  and  have 
your  lessons  given  -to  you.  Come,  I'll  go 
with  you." 

The  new-comer  gratefully  accepted  this 
invitation,  and  took  Gilbert's  ofl'ered  hand, 
confidingly.  '  You're  so  good  to  me  !  "  he 
said  gratefully,  to  which  Gilbert  answered 
not  a  word,  but  gravely  ushered  him  into 
the  Principal's  pleasant  little  study. 

Mr.  Winterhalter  was  very  polite  and 
kind,  and  tried  to  make  the  little  boy  feel  at 
ease.  Gilbert  sat  down  by  one  of  the  long 


SEEKING   A   BESTING   PLACE.  49 

windows  and  waited,  thinking  to  himself, 
!(  Well,  this  is  pretty  business  for  you  to  be 
in,  Gilbert  Starr,  marching  this  little  fellow 
around  as  if  you  were  his  grandfather ! 
You'd  better  leave  him  alone." 

Just  here  he  heard  the  Principal  say, 
t(  What !  you  studying  Latin  ?  —  well,  well ! 
My  boys  are  behind  you.  And  you  translate 
very  creditably,  my  little  man.  What  other 
studies?" 

"Well,"  thought  Gilbert,  "if  he  has 
studied  Latin  he  can't  be  so  very  much  of 
a  baby ; "  and  wondered  who  had  been  the 
boy's  teacher. 

The  examination  ended  at  last  by  putting 
Perry  in  the  second  class — the  one  below 
Gilbert's  own  —  and  then  they  went  out  on 
the  lawn,  where  Gilbert  left  his  charge  to 
himself  while  he  went  off  with  the  Boat  Club. 

The  little  boy  sat  down  on  the  piazza  steps, 
feeling  somewhat  lighter  hearted  since  sup- 


50  GILBERT    STARR. 

per,  and  Gilbert's  kindnesses.  The  sun  had 
gone  down  — just  gone  —  and  there  was  a 
great  blaze  of  light  and  splendor  flaming  up 
behind  the  hill ;  such  glory  as  can  only 
come  after  a  royal  summer  day.  The  tall 
cupola  on  the  Riverside  schoolhouse,  oppo- 
site, glowed  like  a  ruddy  beacon,  and  to  con- 
trast with  all  the  hot,  vivid  color  in  the  sky, 
there  was  the  cool  pale  green  of  the  foliage 
under  the  hill,  the  richer  emerald  of  the 
great  lawn,  and  the  blue  of  heaven  reflected 
in  the  river  with  the  deep,  deep,  dark 
shadows  of  tower  and  roof  above. 

Perry  thought  he  had  never  seen  anything 
quite  so  wonderful  and  lovely.  But  soon  his 
attention  was  attracted  by  another  sight 
which  made  him  forget  all  about  sunset. 
The  Boating  Club  came  down  from  their 
i'oom,.all  ready  for  their  evening  practice 
upon  the  river.  A  gay  sight  they  made,  in 
their  scarlet  shirts  and  loose  dark  pants,  a& 


SEEKING  A   RESTING   PLACE.  51 

they  filed  across  the  lawn  after  Gilbert's 
lead,  and  took  the  little  path  which  wound 
to  the  riverside.  The  boys  all  crowded 
around  them,  following  admiringly  as  far  as 
the  hedge  would  let  them  go.  And  when 
they  could  follow  no  farther  they  huddled 
beside  the  thorn-row,  shouting  hurrahs  and 
praises  after  the  boaters. 

"  Don't  they  look  smart?"  said  little  Ned 
Rogers,  who  spied  Perry  on  the  steps,  and 
came  to  sit  down  beside  him ;  "  our  club 
dresses  in  red,  and  the  Riverside  boys  in 
blue.  Blue  ain't  half  so  pretty  as  red,  is 
it? — and  our  club  'most  always  beats  theirs. 
Didn't  Gilbert  look  grand  and  handsome?" 

"Yes,"  said  Perry,  "he's  straight  as  an 
arrow." 

"You  like  him,  don't  you?"  said  Ned. 

"  He's  been  real  kind  to  me,"  said  Perry, 
gratefully. 

"  That's  so  !     I  tell  you  I  was  glad  to  see 


52  GILBERT    STARR. 

him  come  around  the  corner  this  afternoon 
when  the  boys  were  after  you.  I  tried  to 
stop  'em,  but  my !  I  couldn't  do  much ;  but 
when  Gilbert  took  your  side  they  knew  what 
to  expect.  Sam  Copp  won't  dare  touch  you 
any  more  !  "  at  which  piece  of  intelligence 
Perry  rejoiced. 

Master  Ned  did  not  find  the  new-comer 
very  talkative,  but  persisted  in  pressing 
acquaintanceship.  "  Have  you  been  exam- 
ined? What  class  are  you  in?  In  the 
second !  Why  !  I'm  way  down  in  the 
fourth  I  Why,  where  did  you  learn  Latin  ? 
Oh,  how  smart  you  be  !  Won't  the  boys 
stare  when  they  hear  of  it?"  All  these 
things  flowed  from  the  boy's  tongue  faster 
than  his  new  acquaintance  could  answer 
them. 

Perry  was  not  very  sorry  when  he 
went  off,  leaving  him  to  enjoy  the  wide 
sweet  view,  and  the  sight  of  the  boaters,  who 


SEEKING    A   RESTING   PLACE.  53 

were  now  afloat  and  rowing  gayly  down  -the 
river.  Not  long  were  they  in  sight,  and 
when  the  red  figures  had  quite  disappeared 
from  view,  the  boys  came  back  to  their  play 
011  the  lawn.  Perry  watched  them  a  great 
while,  till  the  crimson  and  purple  had  faded 
slowly  out  of  the  sky,  and  a  sombre  duskiness 
had  settled  over  river  and  hill  and  made 
them  indistinct.  A  bright  star  twinkled  in 
the  sky,  —  the  same  little  glittering  point 
which  mamma  and  he  had  watched  together 
only  two  short  weeks  ago.  Where  was 
mamma?  Oh,  in  heaven,  and  so  far,  far  off 
from  him !  he  thought ;  and  as  there  is  no 
time  like  even-tide  for  sad  and  home-sick 
thoughts,  back  they  all  trooped  to  his  heart, 
and  he  sat  silently  on  the  steps,  looking  at 
the  little  golden  world  on  high  through  swim- 
ming tears.  Did  mamma  see  it?  Did  she 
see  him,  lonely  and  tearful,  on  the  steps? 
Did  she  long  to  wipe  away  his  tears,  and 


54  GILBERT    STARR. 

whisper  that  she  saw  him  and  watched  over 
him?     Who  could  tell? 

So  he  sat  silently,  not  daring  to  sob 
aloud  lest  the  boys  should  hear  him,  yet 
so  grieved  and  desolate  that  he  laid  his 
head  on  the  steps,  and  shut  his  hands  tightly 
over  his  mouth  to  smother  the  cries  that 
trembled  on  his  lips.  By  and  by  a  bell  in 
a  distant  part  of  the  building  rang  a  little 
peal,  and  the  boys  slowly  began  to  leave  the 
lawn.  They  found  an  entrance  at  one  end  of 
the  building,  and  so  Perry  was  left  undis- 
turbed, none  coming  near  enough  to  notice 
the  little  figure  hid  in  the  shadow.  And 
when  they  were  all  gone,  and  the  lawn  was 
left  in  dusk  and  silence,  he  raised  himself 
up,  wondering  if  it  were  really  bed-time,  and 
why  no  one  told  him  where  to  sleep.  He 
wondered  whether  Gilbert  Starr  and  his 
Boat  Club  had  returned.  He  looked  up  and 
saw  no  lights  flashing  from  any  of  the 


SEEKING   A   RESTING    PLACE.  55 

windows,  —  all  was  wrapped  in  darkness  and 
silence.  Only  on  Eiverside  the  lights  gleam- 
ed out  on  the  hill,  and  far  down  on  the  river 
a  sparkle  of  light  shone  out  now  and  then 
from  some  boat-prow.  He  began  to  fear 
that  all  the  inmates  of  the  school  were  abed 
and  asleep,  the  house  was  so  silent.  From 
some  high  steeple  on  the  hill,  hidden  in  the 
darkness,  came  nine  long  sonorous  tolls, 
floating  firm  and  distinct  on  the  stillness. 
Nine  o'clock, — time  for  all  schoolboys  to 
be  in  bed.  Gilbert,  he  thought,  might  long 
ago  have  returned,  and  gone  to  his  room 
without  seeing  him.  What  could  he  do? 
Sleep  on  the  steps  all  night  ?  That  was  not 
such  a  terrible  matter;  but,  ah,  it  was  so 
hard  to  feel  that  nobody  cared  for  him !  — 
nobody  cared !  ^ 

Just  as  he  was  laying  his  head  down 
again  on  the  hard  step,  there  floated  to 
his  ears  broken  sounds  of  talk, — whispers, 


56  GILBERT   STARR. 

low  laughter,  and  then  the  sound  of  "foot- 
steps coming  across  the  lawn.  It  was  the 
Boat  Club.  Perry  got  up  joyfully  and 
listened  a  moment  to  assure  himself  of  the 
fact,  then  ran  in  the  direction  of  the  sound. 

"Who's  this?"  cried  Tom  Fowler,  catch- 
ing him  roughly  by  the  shoulder;  "look 
here,  boys,  here's  the  biggest  musquito  I've 
seen  to-night.  Help  me  despatch  him,  will 
you?" 

rt  Who  is  it,  anyway?"  said  Ray  Hunter; 
"  it  was  time  for  the  under-classes  to  be  in 
bed  half  an  hour  ago." 

"  I  declare,"  said  Tom,  "  if  I  don't  believe 
it's  Gilbert's  protege,  though  it's  so  dark  I 
can't  rightly  see  ! " 

"  Is  that  you,  Perry  Kent?"  asked  Gilbert, 
in  a  vexed  tone. 

:'  Yes,  it's  me,"  said  Perry,  faintly. 

:'  Well,   then   why  aren't  you   in    bed?' 
asked    Gilbert ;    "  only   the    first   class    are 


SEEKING  A   BESTING   PLACE.  57 

allowed  to  be  up  till  nine,  and  we're  a  little 
late.  Come,  what  are  you  here  for,  I  say?" 

Perry's  voice  trembled  as  he  replied  :  "I 
didn't  know  where  to  go,  and  nobody  told 
me  anything — and  —  and —  "  and  here  he 
had  to  stop. 

Gilbert  was  a  trifle  out  of  temper,  and  re- 
plied crossly — "If  you  aren't  big  enough  to 
find  out,  you  never  will  be  !  But  I've  got 
you  to  look  out  for,  I  suppose,  so  come  along 
and  see  if  we  can  find  Mrs.  Winterhalter. 
It's  a  pretty  time  of  night  to  be  looking  up  a 
sleeping-place.  " 

"  Don't  be  hard  with  him,  Gilbert,"  said 
Kay  Hunter ;  "he's  only  a  little  fellow,  you 
know,  and  can't  make  things  go  smooth 
yet." 

But  Gilbert  was  out  of  hearing,  hurry- 
ing his  charge  in  the  direction  of  Mrs. 
Winterhalter' s  parlor.  To  Perry  it  seemed 
as  if  they  made  a  prodigious  noise  as  they 


58  GILBERT   STARR. 

hurried  along  the  empty  halls.  He  was 
afraid  Mr.  Winterhalter  would  come  out  of 
his  study  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  But 
no  one  appeared,  and  when  they  arrived  at 
the  parlor  door  a  bright  light  shone  through 
the  red  glass,  plainly  showing  that  the  lady 
was  within.  Gilbert  rapped.  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter  herself  opened  the  door,  —  a  kind 
motherly  woman  of  fifty ;  just  the  sort  ot 
person,  one  would  think,  to  get  along  with 
such  a  great  parcel  of  boys, — and  said,  with  a 
look  of  surprise,  "Why,  this  you,  Gilbert? 
Come  in,  my  dear."  And  they  passed  in. 

"Mrs.  Winterhalter,"  said  Gilbert,  illy 
concealing  his  vexation,  "  here's  this  little 
boy  that  came  to-day  hasn't  any  place  to 
sleep.  Where  will  he  be  put?" 

"  Dear  !  dear  !  "  said  the  good  lady,  throw- 
ing up  her  hands ;  "  I  forgot  all  about  the 
little  fellow.  Why,  how  could  I  ?  —  and  he 
a  little  motherless  boy  I  Come  here,  dear, 


SEEKING   A  BESTING   PLACE.  59 

aiid  see  me.  Why,  you're  tired  to  death, 
child,  —  and  no  where  to  lay  your  head.  You 
thought  we  were  all  heathen,  here,  didn't 
you?  But  Mr.  Winterhalter's  been  away  all 
the  afternoon,  and  there  was  so  much  to  do 
that  I  forgot  all  about  you.  It  was  wicked 
in  me,  I  will  say !  Thank  you  a  hundred 
times,  Gilbert,  for  bringing  him  here." 

"But,  where  will  he  sleep?"  Gilbert 
asked,  hardly  able  to  conceal  his  impatience. 

The  kind-hearted  lady  left  Perry  and 
seated  herself  at  a  secretary,  turning  over 
great  books  and  talking  cheerfully  to  the 
little  boy  all  the  while. 

"What  class  is  he  in,  Gilbert?"  she 
asked. 

"  In  the   second,  ma'am." 

"In  the  second! — that  little  fellow! 
Well,  well,  let  me  see.  The  second  class 
—  room  No.  2  —  second  story  —  twenty 


60  GILBERT   STARR. 

beds — -.all    full.      Dear!  —  why,    the    beds 
are   all   full!" 

!t  There  are  the  other  class-rooms,"  sug- 
gested  Gilbert. 

"  Crowded  already,"  said  the  lady,  re- 
flectively; "I  don't  know  what  we  can  do, 
I'm  sure.  Mr.  Winterhalte*r  keeps  taking 
more  pupils,  and  leaves  me  to  put  them 
somewhere,  though  I  keep  telling  him  there 
isn't  room  for  another  one.  He  thinks 
boys  and  beds  are  made  of  India-rubber,  I 
expect.  That's  always  the  way  with  men ! 
—  But,  there,  Gilbert,  I've  just  thought!" 
as  a  bright  idea  struck  her,  "  would  you 
mind  sharing  your  bed  with  him  to-night? 
— just  till  I  can  put  up  a  little  bed  for  him 
somewhere.  The  beds  in  your  room  are 
larger,  and  not  crowded  at  all,  you  know. 
I  wonder  I  didn't  think  of  it  before !  I 
know  you'll  be  glad  to  accommodate  the 
poor  motherless  little  boy." 


SEEKING   A   RESTING   PLACE.  61 

Gilbert  was  not  glad !  He  was  so  vexed 
that  he  could  hardly  keep  back  some  hard 
words.  But  he  silently  acquiesced,  for  the 
wildest  of  the  Rainford  boys  would  not 
have  inconvenienced  kind  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter. 

:t  There,"  said  she,  in  a  tone  of  relief, 
"now  you'll  do  nicely.  Gilbert  will  be 
good  to  you,  I  know,  and  to-morrow  I'll 
make  everything  right.  Good  night,  dear," 
stroking  back  his  hair  as  his  own  mother 
had  done,  "  go  and  get  some  sleep,  and 
you'll  feel  better;"  and  with  that  she  ush- 
ered them  out. 

Gilbert  led  the  way  up  to  the  long  room 
in  which  the  first  class  slept,  feeling  as  if 
he  would  like  to  throw  his  charge  out  of 
the  first  open  window  which  they  passed. 
Poor  Perry  felt  his  coldness  most  deeply, 
and  followed  with  a  heavy  heart.  His  ben- 
efactor gave  him  not  a  word  of  kindness 


62  GILBERT    STARR. 

or  encouragement,  and  ushered  him  into 
the  sleeping  apartment  with  a  face  which 
was  a  study.  Here  the  Boat  Club,  and  all 
the  boys  of  the  first  class,  were  leisurely 
preparing  for  bed  —  unlacing  their  high 
shoes  and  removing  their  uniforms  —  and 
some  were  already  asleep.  All  eyes  were 
turned  on  Gilbert  as  he  entered. 

"Hello!"  said  Tom  Fowler,  in  amaze- 
ment, "  you  haven't  brought  that  little 
midget  to  room  up  here,  Gilbert  Starr?" 
and  the  faces  of  the  rest  showed  their  as- 
tonishment. 

"Why,  it's  no  place  for  him!"  said 
Barry  White ;  "  why  don't  he  go  into  one 
of  the  other  rooms,  where  he  belongs  ? " 

"  It's  an  imposition !  "  said  Tom,  grum- 
blingly. 

Gilbert  sat  down  on  the  edge  of  his  bed, 
without  a  word,  unlaced  his  shoes,  and 
threw  them  violently  into  a  corner. 


SEEKING   A   RESTING   PLACE.  63 

"  Gilbert's  mad ! "  said  Ray  Hunter, 
who,  being  Gilbert's  warmest  friend,  pre- 
sumed to  say  things  which  Starr  would  not 
have  borne  from  others; — "I  know  by  the 
way  he  throws  off  his  shoes.  Repent  of 
your  bargain,  don't  you,  Gil?" 

'  We  shall  if  he  don't,  I  guess,"  said 
Albert  Turner ;  "  such  little  chaps  are  al- 
ways a  torment,  and  always  under  a  body's 
feet." 

"If  he  gets  under  my  feet  I'll  step  on 
hun,"  said  Tom,  with  a  warning  look  at 
the  "  torment." 

"  Let's  put  Gilbert  and  his  protege  out 
of  the  room!"  said  Bob  TJpham,  who  was 
also  a  member  of  the  Boat  Club. 

Perry  shrank  out  of  sight  as  much  as 
possible,  thinking,  at  last,  that  there  was 
really  no  place  for  him  in  the  whole  wide 
earth.  Two  bright  spots  on  either  of  Gil- 
bert's cheeks  showed  that  his  temper  was 


64  GILBERT    STARE. 

roused.  At  last  the  words  came  which  he 
would  not  bear. 

"  No,"  said  Barry  White,  in  answer  to 
Bob  Upham's  words,  "  let's  put  out  the 
protege,  and  let  Gilbert  stay.  He's  well 
enough,  when  he's  alone.  Come,  I  say, 
let's—" 

But  Gilbert  was  in  the  middle  of  the 
floor  before  White  could  say  more, — eyes 
blazing,  and  looking  defiance  at  them  all. 

"I've  heard  enough,"  he  said  slowly, — 
"  all  that  I  will  hear  from  any  of  you. 
There's  no  room  for  him  in  any  of  the 
other  class-rooms,  and  if  I  choose  to  share 
my  bed  with  him  it's  no  affair  of  j^ours. 
Stay  here  he's  got  to,  and  stay  here  he 
shall,  and  if  you  wish  to  undertake  to  put 
him  out  —  very  well." 

"  Pshaw  !  we  were  only  joking,  Gilbert," 
said  Tom  Fowler. 

"Joking  or  not,"  said  Perry's  champion, 


SEEKING   A    RESTING   PLACE.  65 

"  I  won't  hear  any  more  of  it,"  and  turned 
away  from  them  all  to  his  own  bed ;  and, 
having  vented  his  vexation  upon  his  friends' 
heads,  he  began  to  regard  Perry  with  kind- 
lier eyes. 

'  You  mustn't  mind  what  they  say,"  he 
said  to  the  little  boy,  as  he  threw  off  his 
crimson  jacket;  "they  don't  hate  you  half 
so  bad  as  you  think.  Come,  hurry  into 
bed,  for  the  lights'll  be  out  in  a  few  min- 
utes." 

Perry  made  haste  to  obey,  took  the 
shoes  off  his  tired  feet,  and,  when  he  was 
undressed,  knelt  down  on  the  floor  to  say 
his  prayers.  He  had  always  said  them  at 
his  mother's  knee  —  always  —  and,  since 
her  absence,  had  felt  her  loss  most  keenly 
when  the  time  came  to  thank  God  for  life 
and  health  and  watchful  care.  The  thought 
never  entered  his  head  that  he  was  doing 

anything  strange  or  unusual  in  the  eyes  of 
5 


66  GILBERT    STARR. 

those  around  him,  and  he  did  not  suspect 
that  they  neglected,  or  were  indifferent  to 
perform,  the  same  duty.  So,  with  a  very 
quiet  face,  he  knelt  there  before  them  all, 
only  feeling  in  his  weary  heart  that  it  was 
a  very  sweet  and  comforting  thing  to  do,  , 
and  that  perhaps  mamma  looked  down,  too, 
and  was  pleased. 

Gilbert  did  not  notice  him  till  he  turned 
about  to  see  whether  the  boy  had  obeyed 
his  order,  and  gone  to  bed.  The  sight  half 
startled  him.  With  a  smothered  "What!" 
he  turned  away,  and  looked  at  his  com- 
panions. They,  too,  were  looking  at  Perry 
—  some  with  amazement,  some  with  curi- 
ous, half-averted  faces.  Not  one  of  them 
but  what  had  once  knelt  at  his  mother's 
knee,  but  since  coming  to  school  —  ah,  it 
had  been  very  different.  In  truth,  they 
were  ashamed  to  pray  before  one  another. 
Even  Gilbert,  who  confessed  no  fear  of  any 


SEEKIXG   A   RESTING   PLACE.  67 

one,  would  have  thought  it  savored  of 
weakness  and  unmanliness  to  have  grot 

O 

down  upon  his  knees  to  pray ;  —  being, 
plainly,  ashamed  to  do  it.  As  if  it  could 
be  weak  or  unmanly  to  tell  one's  wants, 
and  crave  the  love  and  care  of  Him  who 
holds  our  very  lives  in  his  hand !  But 
that  was  an  evil  way  of  thinking  which  the 
liainford  boys  had  got. 

When  Gilbert  turned  back,  Perry  had 
finished  his  prayer,  and  was  nestling  down 
among  the  pillows  with  a  sigh  of  weariness, 
or  sorrow,  he  could  not  tell  which ;  and 
Gilbert  followed  him,  thinking,  — 

tf  Well,  he's  a  queer  little  fellow ;  but 
they  sha'n't  plague  him  for  it,  anyhow." 


CHAPTER    IV. 

SUNDAY    AFTERNOON. 

A  LBERT  TURNER,  the  Boating  Club's 
-*-*-  secretary,  carried  the  challenge  over 
to  the  secretary  of  the  Riverside  School. 
And  then  the  Raiuford  Club  waited  impa- 
tiently for  an  answer. 

Much  ado  they  had  to  get  Tom  Fowler's 
lessons  for  him,  and  yet  keep  the  fact  a 
secret  from  Mr.  Wintcrhaltcr.  Somehow 
these  boys  had  very  perverted  ideas  of 
honor.  Gilbert  Starr,  who  would  have 
scorned  to  tell  a  falsehood  —  to  have  played 
his  friends  false — to  have  done  a  cowardly 
or  mean  thing,  —  all  because  it  was  not 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  6i> 

honorable,  yet,  day  after  day,  worked  at 
Tom's  translations,  and  deceived  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter  into  believing  that  that  study- 
hating  youth  was  very  attentive  and  indus- 
trious all  at  once.  And,  while  engaged  in 
this  difficult  and  tedious  process  of  "  cram- 
ming "  the  dullest  member  of  the  class, 
the  thought  that  there  was  anything  wrong 
or  dishonorable  about  it  never  once  entered 
his  head.  Had  this  method  of  gaining  the 
coveted  flag  been  called  "  dishonest,"  the 
boys  would  have  resented  it  at  once.  It 
was  only  "  fooling,"  or  "  giving  Tom  a  lift," 
or  "  pulling  wool  over  Winterhalter's  eyes," 
when  they  had  occasion  to  speak  of  the 
matter. 

About  a  week  after  the  boys  commenced 
their  strife  for  perfect  lessons,  the  flag, 
which  Mr.  Winterhalter  had  ordered,  ar- 
rived. It  was  a  splendid  scarlet  pennon, 
with  a  gold-broidered  edge ;  and  when  Gil- 


70  GILBERT    STARR. 

bert  saw  it  fluttering  from  its  slender,  sil- 
ver-tipped ebony  staff,  lie  mentally  resolved 
that  no  pains  should  be  spared  but  what 
the  flag  should  become  the  Club's. 

Mrs.  Winterhalter  was  true  to  her  word, 
and  forgot  Perry  no  more.  After  going 
again  and  again  through  the  sleeping-rooms 
of  the  different  classes,  crowding  a  little 
here,  moving  another  there,  she  declared 
it  was  no  use,  —  there  was  room  for  the 
new-comer  in  none  of  them.  So,  grumble 
as  much  as  they  would,  the  first  class  were 
obliged  to  receive  him  into  their  room, 
and  a  bed  was  placed  for  him  in  an  unoc- 
cupied corner.  Here  Perry  would  have 
fared  but  poorly  but  for  the  strong  protec- 
tion of  Gilbert's  favor;  and  sometimes,  in 
that  person's  absence,  he  was  subjected  to 
all  kinds  of  tyranny ;  but  those  occasions 
were  rare,  and  the  little  boy  gradually  be- 
gan to  like  his  new  situation,  as  he  became 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  71 

more  and  more  acquainted,  and  at  his  ease. 
It  was  not  strange  that  in  these,  his  first 
days  at  school,  —  enjoying  himself  only  by 
Gilbert  Starr's  intervention,  —  he  should 
come  to  look  upon  that  person  as  his  best 
and  truest  friend,  loving  him  better  than  a 
in-other,  admiring  his  prowess,  his  feats 
in  the  gymnasium,  and  happy  to  receive 
Gilbert's  praise  and  feel  that  he  felt  for 
him,  cared  for  him,  regarded  his  wants. 
As  for  Gilbert  Starr  himself,  he  regarded 
his  charge  with  a  strange  mixture  of  kind- 
ness, respect,  and  dislike,  sometimes  being 
extremely  kind  and  gentle  with  him,  again 
treating  him  with  coldness  and  neglect.  Re- 
garding him  as  particularly  his  own  prop- 
erty, he  would  allow  none  of  his  comrades  to 
offer  him  any  insult  or  indignity,  or  to  play 
the  tyrant  and  make  a  slave  of  the  little  boy. 
All  this  was  very  fortunate  for  Perry's  happi- 
icss,  and,  if  treated  unkindly  or  slightingly 


72  GILBERT    STARR. 

he  had  got  to  be,  he  much  preferred  to  have 
it  come  from  Gilbert's  hands.  And,  to  tell 
the  truth,  it  came  from  his  hand  quite  often 
enough. 

Once,  when  the  Boat  Club  had  strolled  far 
down  the  river-side,  and  Perry  had  received 
permission  to  follow,  Ray  Hunter,  who  was 
oppressed  by  the  warmth  of  the  sun,  took  off 
his  coat,  and  threw  it  over  the  little  boy's 
shoulder,  for  him  to  carry.  As  if  the  little 
boy's  shoulders  were  stouter  than  Ray's  own 
broad  and  stalwart  ones  !  Gilbert  was  ahead 
of  his  party,  and  did  not  notice  the  fact  at 
first,  and  Perry  struggled  on  with  his  double 
burden,  almost  sweltering  with  the  heat. 
But  when  Gilbert  did  notice  what  had  oc- 
curred, he  quietly  transferred  the  jacket  to 
his  own  arm,  and  walked  on  without  saying 
a  word. 

They  rambled  on  and  on,  enjoying  all 
the  fragrance  and-  freshness  in  the  river- 


SUNDAY   AFTEUNOOX.  73 

meadows,  and  when  they  were  ready  to  re- 
turn, Ray  bethought  him  of  his  coat.  There 
it  was,  swinging  from  Gilbert's  arm. 

"  Gilbert,"  said  Ray,  in  astonishment, 
"  my  jacket,  —  how  came1  you  by  it  ?  " 

"  I  found  it  on  a  little  boy's  shoulder," 
said  Gilbert,  gravely ;  "I  thought  mine 
could  carry  it  better." 

Ray  Hunter  took  his  coat  with  very  red 
cheeks,  and  after  that  Perry  was  troubled 
with  no  burdens  of  other  people. 

The  first  Sabbath  after  the  little  boy's 
arrival  was  a  very  bright  and  sunny  one. 
Mr.  Winterhalter's  boys  attended  church  but 
once  a  day,  and  that  was  at  morning  service. 
The  chureh  was  a  very  pleasant  one,  stand- 
ing in  a  quiet  spot  in  the  midst  of  Raiuford 
streets,  and  thither  the  school  walked  in  pro- 
cession every  Sabbath  morning,  and  back  at 
noon.  The  afternoon  was  spent  at  home, 
and  quiet  and  orderly  afternoons  they  gen- 


74  GILBERT   STARR. 

erally  were,  considering  how  many  turbulent 
spirits  were  endeavoring  to  hold  themselves 
in  check. 

After  the  light  Sunday-noon  lunch  that 
day,  Perry  had  taken  his  Bible,  —  worn  and 
smooth  with  the  press  of  dear  mamma's 
lingers,  —  and  sat  down  on  the  farthest 
corner  of  the  piazza,  where  the  boys  did  not 
often  come.  The  syringas  shielded  him  from 
the  sun,  and  made  a  cool  and  pleasant 
nook.  On  a  far  edge  of  the  lawn,  by  the 
thorn-hedge,  a  great  many  boys  were  congre- 
gated. He  did  not  know  how  they  were 
spending  Sunday  afternoon,  but  now  and 
then  faint  laughter  floated  to  his  ears,  and  he 
was  pretty  sure  Sam  Copp  was  telling  some 
of  his  funny  stories,  of  which  he  had  an 
inexhaustible  store. 

Perry  turned  over  leaf  after  leaf,  re- 
joicing to  see  where  mamma  had  marked 
passage  after  passage,  —  very  comforting 


SUNDAY  AFTERNOOX.  75 

passages,  too,  just  suited  now  to  her 
lonely  little  boy.  Seated  here  in  the  quiet 
and  silence,  he  read  and  thought  of  the 
happy  days  before  mamma  went  away,  — 
not  with  tears  and  regret,  but  very  calmly 
and  peacefully,  as  something  sweet  and 
precious  to  ponder  over.  Sometimes  he  put 
his  book  aside  to  look  on  the  far,  far  stretch 
of  river,  —  warm  and  burnished  in  the  sun- 
shine, —  all  the  boats  and  sails  at  rest  in 
their  harbors,  and  the  water  at  rest,  too, — 
only  softly  lapping  the  shore,  and  rustling  in 
the  grasses.  And  the  whole  earth  seemed  at 
rest,  and  the  clouds  lay  motionless,  and  there 
was  such  sweet,  sweet  Sabbath  stillness  over 
all,  that  it  almost  seemed  a  pity  that  ever 
the  drays  must  rattle,  and  the  boatmen  shout, 
and  the  bustle  and  clamor  reign  again. 

But  Perry's  quiet  did  not  last  long,  for 
presently  Gilbert,  and  a  good  many  boys  of 
the  first  class,  came  down  from  their  room, 


70  GILBERT   STARR. 

and  sat  down  on  the  grass,  the  other  side  of 
the  sy-ringas.  None  of  them  noticed  him. 

Gilbert  said,  as  soon  as  they  were  seated, 
"  Now,  Mr.  Secretary,  we'll  listen  to  you. 
I've  been  wanting  to  hear  it  all  day,  but 
there  wasn't  time  before  church,  and  this  is 
the  first  minute  I  have  got  to  myself  since. 
But  when  did  the  reply  come?  How  did 
you -get  it?" 

"  Sure  enough,"  said  Tom  Fowler ;  "  Pro- 
fessor Roth  don't  let  his  boys  run  about  with 
letters,  Sunday." 

Here  Perry  began  to  understand  that  they 
were  talking  about  the  reply  to  the  Boat 
Club's  challenge,  of  which  he  had  heard  so 
much.  It  shocked  him  some,  for  there  was 
Gilbert  talking  about  matters  for  which  Sun- 
day had  no  place,  —  talking  very  coolly  and 
unconcernedly,  too,  as  if  it  were  no  unusual 
thing. 

"  Well,"  replied  Albert  Turner,   "  here's 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  77 

the  way  I  came  by  it :  You  know  I  was  the 
last  to  come  in  last  night,  —  after  you  were 
all  abed?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Gilbert,  "  I  remember." 
'  Well,  just  as  the  bell  rang  for  nine,  and 
you  were  all  starting  for  your  rooms,  I  heard 
a  whistle  at  the  lower  end  of  the  lawn,  and 
went  down  to  see  who  was  there.  I  couldn't 
find  the  fellow  at  first,  it  was  so  dark ;  but 
when  I  did  find  him,  it  was  one  of  Eoth's 
boys." 

"  Which  one  ?  "  said  Eay  Hunter. 

"Fred  Moore,"  said  the  secretary 

"  It  takes  him  to  come  across  the  river  in 
a  dark  night,"  said  Kay,  admiringly  ;  "  there 
ain't  a  fellow  in  this  school  could  do  it !  " 

'  Well,  Fred  Moore  it  was,"  continued 
the  secretary,  "  and  he  brought  this  reply. 
He  said  Roth  had  forbidden  them  to  cross 
the  river  again  this  month,  so  he  had  to  wait 
till  pitch-dark  to  cross  over  without  being 


78  GILBERT    STARR. 

seen.     Here's   the   reply,    if   you   want    to 
hear  it : 

1  RIVERSIDE,  July  14th. 

'/Sec.  E.  S.  Boating  Club: 

'  The  members  of  the  Riverside  Club  accept 
your  challenge  to  race  with  the  new  boats  on 
the  river,  three  weeks  from  July  10,  and 
Captain  Forrest,  of  our  Club,  wishes  to  meet 
Captain  Starr,  of  your  Club,  on  Raiuford 
bridge,  next  Wednesday  night,  to  make  ar- 
rangements for  the  same.  Hoping  he  will 
comply,  we  remain, 

1  Yours  truly, 

'  RIVERSIDE  CLUB.'  ' 

"  That  sounds  like  it,"  said  Gilbert,  en- 
thusiastically;  "I'll  be  at  Raiuford  bridge, 
never  fear ! " 

"  That  is,  if  Mr.  Winterhalter  will  let  you 
go,"  said  Barry  White. 

"Pooh!    he'll    let   Gilbert    do  'most   anv- 


ANSWER    TO    THE    CHALLENGE.     Pago  78. 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  79 

thing,"  said  Ray ;  "  there'll  be  no  trouble 
about  that.  The  most  I  fear,  is  that  we 
shall  lose  the  flag  by  some  of  Tom's  blunder- 
ing. Did  you  hear  him  Friday  afternoon? 
Oh,  but  I  thought  it  was  all  up  with  us, 
then  !  But  he  blundered  out  the  right  an- 
swer, at  last,  and  so  saved  himself!" 

c  Well,  it's  no  wonder,"  said  Torn,  com- 
plainingly ;  "  you  never  cross  your  t's,  nor 
dot  your  i's,  nor  half  write  anything.  How 
be  I  going  to  know  what's  what?" 

"Guess  at  it!"  returned  Ray. 

Here  a  new  idea  flashed  into  Perry's 
mind.  The  boys  were  deceiving  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter,  and  Gilbert  was  aiding !  It  is 

*  o 

a    hard  thing  to   have   the    faults    of  those 

• 

whom  we  love  and  admire  thrust  upon  our 
knowledge,  and  Perry  was  very  much  star- 
tled to  find  his  champion  deliberately  doing 
wrong.  It  both  shocked  and  grieved  him. 
Then  Gilbert  said,  "  If  we  really  do 


80  GILBERT    STARR. 

succeed  in  earning  the  flag,  and  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter  puts  it  up  for  the  race,  we  must 
contrive  not  to  lose  it.  It  would  mortify 
me  horribly  to  have  Roth's  boys  bear  it 
off." 

"  It  would  all  of  us,"  said  Bob  Upham, 
who  had  just  sauntered  up ;  "  think  ho\v 
grand  Forrest  would  look,  as  he  went  up 
to  receive  it." 

'  We  should  get  laughed  at  liucly  for 
losing  our  flag  in  that  way,"  said  Barry 
White ;  "  better  lose  it,  if  we  must,  through 
Tom's  dull  wits." 

"  Look  here,"  said  Tom,  at  this,  "  if, 
after  we've  beat  'em  out  and  out,  and  got 
the  flag,  you'll  give  me  half  the  credit  for 
nay  help  that  you  do  for  my  being  dull, 
I'll  think  myself  a  lucky  fellow." 

"  Alas  !  true  merit  rarely  gets  its  reward 
in  this  world,"  said  Ray,  shaking  his  head. 

The  sun  had  got  around-  so  that  it  shone 


SUNDAY  AFTERNOON.  81 

bright,  and  full,  and  hot  where  the  boys 
were  sitting.  They  got  up  and  began  to 
disperse  —  some  going  to  the  ash  tree,  and 
some  back  to  their  room.  Gilbert  and  Ray 
Hunter  kept  on  toward  the  piazza,  and  here 
Ray's  keen  eyes  spied  Perry.  "  Look 
there,"  he  said  to  Gilbert,  "  there's  your 
protege.  He's  been  as  whist  as  a  mouse 
all  the  while  we've  been  talking,  and  right 
behind  us,  too." 

"  Let's  see  what  he's  up  to,"  said  Gil- 
bert, going  up  the  steps. 

:?  Well,  Perry,"  said  Ray,  "  here's  your 
grandfather,  Gilbert,  who  takes  a  warm  inter- 
est in  your  affiairs.  He  wants  to  know  what 
you're  doing  this  hot  afternoon." 

"  I  declare  !  if  you  aren't  reading,  —  or  are 
you  studying  your  Lexicon? '"said  Gilbert, 
sitting  down  beside  him ;  "  why  don't  you 
run  and  sit  with  the  boys,  out  there?  they're 
having  a  fine  time,  I  guess." 


82  GILBERT   STARK. 

Perry  was  silent. 

"  Yes,  why  don't  you  go  and  tell  stories 
with  the  boys?"  queried  Ray;  "now  for  a 
reason !  " 

"I  don't  think  it's  right  to  do  so,"  Perry 
answered,  quietly. 

"Not  right!  —  why,  Mr.  Winterhalter 
don't  forbid  it !  "  Ray  answered,  quickly. 

"Oh,  I  don't  mean  that,"  said  Perry; 
"  but  the  Bible  tells  us  not,  you  know,  and 
God  has  forbidden  it." 

A  quick  smile  flashed  over  Ray  Hunter's 
face,  and  he  turned  to  Gilbert  with  a  half- 
puzzled,  half-contemptuous  look,  and  said, 
"Well,  that  beats  all  the  reasons  I  ever 
heard ! " 

Gilbert  said  nothing,  nor  smiled. 

"What  has  He  forbidden?"  Ray  asked, 
after  a  little  pause. 

"  Why,  one  thing  is  to   break   Sunday," 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  83 

• 

Perry  answered  ;  "  and  it's  breaking  it  to  do 
as  they  are  doing,  I  thought." 

"Is  it  wrong  to  laugh?"  Ray  persisted 
with  mock  gravity. 

'Why,  no,"  said  the  boy,  hesitating, — 
"  not  wrong  to  laugh  I  shouldn't  think,  but 
I  meant  it  was  wrong  to  do  such  things  as 
belong  to  other  days,  and  to  talk  about 
work,  and  —  and  — boat  clubs." 

"There!"  said  Ray,  laughing  heartily, 
"  we've  got  it  now,  Gilbert !  Do  you  un- 
derstand?" 

Gilbert  nodded  assent. 

Just  here  Bob  Upham  called  to  Ray  from 
across  the  lawn,  and  he  went  away,  laughing 
and  saying,  "  Now  give  Gilbert  a  good 
lecture,  little  fellow !  He  needs  it." 

When  he  was  gone,  Perry  looked  up  into 
Gilbert's  face  to  see  if  he  were  offended. 

Gilbert  looked  down,  smiling,  and  said  — 


84  GILBERT   STARR. 

'  Well,  begin  the  lecture,  Perry.  I'm  all 
attention." 

"  I've  no  lecture  to  give,"  said  Perry, 
gravely. 

"  Haven't  you  a  word  to  reprove  me 
with?  Now,  little  fellow,  I  want  to  ask 
you  a  question.  Were  you  in  earnest  in 
what  you  said  just  now?" 

"  In  earnest?  To  be  sure  I  was  !"  said  his 
protege,  wonderingly. 

"  And  you  think  it's  wrong  to  laugh,  and 
tell  stories,  and  talk  about  business  and  boat 
clubs  on  Sunday,  do  you?" 

"Yes,"  softly,  but  confidently. 

"  And  you  think,  too,  that  I'm  a  bad  boy 
for  doing  it,  don't  you?" 

Perry  hesitated.  It  was  hard  to  think 
anything  bad  of  Gilbert,  and  he  such  a 
friend,  —  yet  he  answered,  though  some- 
what timidly,  — 

"  Yes,  I  think  it  was  wrong." 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  85 

"Bravo!"  said  Gilbert,  not  at  all  dis- 
pleased, and  secretly  admiring  his  little 
friend  for  his  frank  courage  ;  "  and  now  what 
are  you  going  to  do  about  it?" 

"  I  can't  do  anything  but  be  sorry.  1 
wish  I  could." 

:t  Well,  now  what  in.  the  world  are  you 
sorry  for?  What  difference  does  it  make 
with  you?" 

"Because  —  because  —  I  love  you,  and 
hate  to  have  you  do  wrong  and  be  wicked," 
Perry  timidly  answered. 

Gilbert  was  silent  so  long  after  this,  that 
the  little  boy  looked  up  to  see  if  he  was 
angry.  No, — he  was  only  looking  at  the 
wide,  still  sweep  of  river  —  burning,  flash- 
ing, sparkling  —  and  his  gray  eyes  looked 
their  softest.  So  he  took  heart. 

"  Well,"  said  Gilbert,  at  last,  "  how  have 
you  been  spending  Sunday?  Perhaps,  if  you 


86  GILBERT    STARR . 

tell  me,  I  shall  know  how  to  do  the  same 
thing  sometime." 

"I've  been  reading  the  Bible,  and  thinking 
a  little,  —  and  —  and  that's  all,  since  I  came 
from  church,"  said  Perry ;  "  when  mamma 
was  alive,  I  had  my  verses  to  say,  and  she 
could  talk  beautifully  to  me." 

"  And,  now  you're  all  alone,  you  keep 
Sunday  by  yourself,"  said  Gilbert.  '(  Well, 
you're  a  queer  chick !  Why,  we  think  Sun- 
day is  the  dullest  and  tiresomest  day  in  the 
whole  seven.  Now  don't  you?" 

"  I  don't  think  this  is  dull  or  tiresome," 
said  Perry ;  "I've  got  this  Bible,  and  there's 
the  long  wide  river  to  look  at,  and  all  the 
pleasant  things  down  on  the  shore  and  over 
on  Riverside." 

"  So  this  is  your  Bible,  is  it?"  said  Gil- 
bert, taking  up  the  book;  "really,  but  I 
thought  it  was  your  Lexicon.  And,  now  I 
think  of  it,  how  came  you  to  pray  before  all 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  87 

the  boys,  the  other  night  ?  Weren't  you 
afraid?" 

"Afraid!"  said  Perry,  again  opening  his 
eyes  to  their  widest  extent,  "  why,  who 
could  hurt  me?" 

"No  one;  —  I  only  meant  weren't  you 
afraid  the  boys  would  see  you,  and  laugh,  or 
something?" 

"  Why,  no,"  said  Perry,  wonderingly 
again;  "don't  the  boys  pray,  too?" 

Gilbert  gave  him  a  sudden  keen  look  from 
out  his  gray  eyes,  and  answered,  "  No, 
not  one  of  them." 

"  What !  not  you?"  cried  Perry,  shrink- 
ing back. 

The  crimson  color  came  into  Gilbert's 
cheeks,  then  slowly  faded  out.  "  No,  Per- 
ry," he  said  quite  gravely,  "  not  I." 

The  little  boy's  face  showed  how  much  he 
was  shocked  and  disappointed,  and  Gilbert, 
who  saw  it,  felt  strangely  embarrassed.  It 


88  GILBERT    STARR. 

was  only  a  little  boy  —  not  worth  minding  — 
yet,  somehow,  it  was  not  pleasant  to  feel 
that  he  had  fallen  in  his  estimation. 

And  all  he  said  seemed  so  fresh  and 
simple  !  —  so  free  from  art,  and  hypocrisy  — 
"just  as  if  he  believed  it  all,  and  loved 
it,"  Gilbert  said  to  himself,  —  that  he  had 
listened  to  much,  which,  from  other  lips, 
he  would  not  have  paid  heed. 

And,  after  a  long  silence,  during  which 
several  voices  had  called  to  him  from  the 
lawn,  he  got  up  from  the  steps,  picked  up 
Perry  in  his  strong  arms,  saying,  "  So  I'm 
a  great  deal  worse  than  you  thought  me  for, 
am  I?  Well,  that's  too  bad.  I'm  not  a 
good  fellow,  at  all ;  I  don't  pretend  to  be. 
Didn't  you  know  it?  couldn't  you  see  it? 
But  we  may  be  pretty  good  friends,  after 
all,  I  guess,"  putting  his  protege  down 
again; — "only,"  he  added,  laughingly,"! 
must  go  and  break  Sunday  a  little  more." 


SUNDAY   AFTERNOON.  89 

Perry  watched  him  as  he  walked  slowly 
and  erect — proud,  strong,  handsome — back 
to  his  comrades,  and  sighed  and  wondered 
what  he  could  do  to  make  Gilbert  love  the 
Right  better  than  the  Wrong. 

And  the  long  afternoon  came  to  a  close 
with  soft  puffs  of  wind  from  down  the  river ; 
with  violet  shadows  under  the  emerald  hill- 
side ;  with  rosy  streaks  and  stains  of  color 
over  all  the  sky,  and  this  was  Perry's  last 
thought  that  night,  —  "  If  Gilbert  only  loved 
Right  better  than  Wrong  ! " 


CHAPTER   V. 

ABOUT   THE   FLAG. 

NOW  that  the  Riverside  Club  had  accept- 
ed their  challenge,  Gilbert  and  his  boys 
renewed  their  exertions  to  win  the  flag ;  and, 
with  getting  Tom  Fowler's  lessons  for  him, 
and  long  evenings  of  practice  upon  the  river, 
the  remainder  of  July  was  a  busy  season. 

Captain  Starr  went  down  to  Rainford 
Bridge  one  evening,  at  twilight,  and  had  the 
desired  interview  with  Captain  Forrest.  The 
two  boys  were  nearly  of  a  height,  each 
the  tallest  and  strongest  of  their  respective 
schools,  and,  being  the  pride  and  boast  of 
their  school-fellows,  and  the  frequent  cause 


ABOUT   THE   FLAG.  91 

of  collisions  between  them,  the  two  had  be- 
come strong  rivals.  They  had  a  very  peace- 
able interview,  however,  on  the  Riverside 
end  of  the  bridge, — Captain  Forrest's  school 
having  been  forbidden  to  cross  the  river, — 
and  the  two  captains  parted  with  a  mutual 
respect  for  each  other;  one  secretly  appre- 
hensive that  the  other  would  gain  the  vic- 
tory. 

Gilbert  went  back  to  school,  vowing  that 
his  club  should  go  into  harder  practice  than 
ever,  to  make  success  certain ;  and  Captain 
Forrest  resolved  much  the  same  thing,  as  he 
slowly  climbed  the  hill  to  his  own  school- 
grounds. 

"  I  tell  you  what,"  Gilbert  said,  as  he  re- 
turned, a  little  after  dusk,  and  found  Ray 
Hunter  waiting  for  him,  "  I  like  that  Fo'r- 
rest  1  He's  a  bully  fellow,  and  means  what 
he  says  ;  and  Ray,  old  fellow,  we'll  have  to 
stir  ourselves  if  we  beat  his  club.  You  see, 


92  GILBERT   STARR. 

they're  all  as  fond  of  him  as  they  can  be, 
and  mind  every  word  he  says,  and  he  is 
posted  in  boating." 

So  it  came  about  that  Captain  Starr's  best 
men  were  out  on  the  river  every  pleasant 
evening,  after  that,  from  the  earliest  moment 
after  supper,  till  the  latest  moment  which 
they  dared  to  be  absent  after  nine  o'clock. 
Had  not  Mr.  Winterhalter  been  quite  lenient, 
and  looked  upon  their  boating-practice  with 
a  favoring  eye,  the  belated  club  would  often 
have  found  themselves  locked  out,  as  they 
returned  home  long  after  the  bells  had 
chimed  for  nine.  But,  somehow,  the  back 
hall-door  was  always  unlocked,  however  late 
they  came,  and  they  stole  softly  up  to  their 
room  without  reproval ;  till,  taking  advan- 
tage —  as  boys  will  —  of  this  leniency,  they 
failed  to  make  their  appearance  till  ten  was 
trembling  upon  all  the  bells  in  Rainford, 


ABOUT   THE   FLAG.  93 

and  that  night  they  found  Mr.  Winterhalter 
waiting  for  .them  with  a  very  grave  face. 

"  It  seems  I  can  hardly  trust  to  my  boys' 
honor,"  he  said,  as  they  trooped  into  the 
haU. 

"Honor,  sir?  "  said  Gilbert,  with  a  flushed 
face,  as  he  stood  at  the  head  of  his  compan- 
ions. 

'  Yes,  honor,"  said  Mr.  Winterhalter ; 
"I  have  favored  you  somewhat  of  late,  I 
believe.  Is  this  the  way  in  which  I  am  to 
be  repaid?  After  this,  young  gentlemen, 
you  will  return  at  precisely  nine  o'clock ; 
any  variance  from  this  rule  will  be  a  suffi- 
cient cause  for  a  fall  from  your  class-rank. 
Good-evening."  And  the.  Principal  disap- 
peared. 

The  boys  went  up  to  their  rooms. 

"  Now  we  are  in  for  it,"  said  Kay,  with 
a  melancholy  face ;  "  that  means  that  we're 


94  GILBERT   STARR. 

to    start    for    home    as    soon    as    half-past 
eight." 

"A    great    time   for    practice    that    will' 
leave,"  muttered  Tom. 

"Well,  we  can't  help  ourselves,"  said  Gil- 
bert, resignedly ;  "we  shouldn't  have  been 
such  fools  as  to.  take  advantage  of  Winter- 
halter.  Don't  you  know  it?" 

"I  don't  see  how  it's  dishonorable,  any- 
how," said  Barry  White. 

"  Neither  did  I,  at  first,"  said  Gilbert ;  "  but 
if  you  allow  that  we  took  the  advantage  of 
him,  you'll  have  to  confess  that  it's  —  well — 
not  the  fair  thing." 

"  A  bother  on  such  fine  distinctions ! " 
grumbled  Tom;  "I  get  enough  of  'em  from 
that  little  chap  in  the  corner,  out  there,  with- 
out hearing  any  from  you,  Cap'n  Starr." 

"That's  so!"  said  Bob  Upham.  "What 
do  you  think  he  had  the  impudence  to  tell 
me,  the  other  day?" 


ABOUT  THE  FLAG.  95 

"Getting  saucy,  is  he?  "said  Tom;  "  I'll 
put  a  stop  to  that." 

"  I  don't  believe  Perry  was  ever  impudent 
to  one  of  you,"  said  Gilbert,  looking  at  the 
little  boy,  as  he  lay  sleeping  peacefully  in  his 
corner. 

"  Then  I'll  convince  you,"  said  Bob.  "  The 
other  night,  when  you  went  down  to  meet 
Forrest  on  the  bridge,  you  know  you  left 
Tom's  confounded  old  Latin  lesson  for  me  to 
work  out.  "Well,  I  was  hot  and  tired,  and 
didn't  want  to  touch  it ;  so  I  said  to  this  lit- 
tle chap — you  know  he  beats  the  Dutch  at 
Latin — '  Come,  little  chap,  I'll  give  you  a 
dime  to  look  out  this  page  for  me.' 

"  Til  do  it  for  nothing,  if  I  can,'  said  he, 
as  sweet  as  sugar.  So  I  gave  him  the  book 
and  paper  in  a  jiffy,  and  happened  to  say, 
'Now  do  it  right,  or  Tom'll  blunder,  and 
there  '11  be  an  end  of  our  flag.' 


96  GILBERT    STARK. 

"  You'd  ought  to  have  seen  the  young- 
un's  face ;  it  was  as  long  as  a  parson's. 

'What  on  earth's  the  matter?'  I  cried 
out;  and  if  you'll  believe  me,  he  had  the 
impudence  to  tell  me  to  my  very  face  that 
it  was  wrong  to  look  out  Tom's  lessons  for 
him ;  that  it  was  deceiving  the  Principal,  and 
all  that  sort  of  thing,  and  he  couldn't  do  it 
for  me,  and,  if  you'll  believe  it,  I  couldn't 
make  him ! " 

"  Why  didn't  you  chuck  him  out  the  win- 
dow?" said  Tom. 

"  Well,  I  thought  if  I  did  that  I  should 
have  Gilbert  about  my  ears,  so  I  kept  my 
hands  off  him;  but  I  thought  I'd  let  him 
know  that  Gil  wa'n't  so  much  nearer  perfec- 
tion than  the  rest  of  us,  so  I  said,  '  Come, 
now,  what  are  you  thinking  about  ?  Gilbert 
Starr  does  it,  too,  and  you  think  he  does  ev- 
erything about  right.' " 


ABOUT  THE  FLAG.  97 

"  What  business  had  you  to  tell  him  what 
I  do  ?  "  queried  Gilbert,  impatiently. 

r'  Beg  your  pardon,"  said  Bob ;  "  it  was 
all  for  the  sake  of  getting  the  Latin  lessou 
done  ;  so  don't  grumble." 

"  Well,  what  did  the  little  lamb  say,  when 
you  told  him  that?"  asked  Tom. 

"Oh,  he  said  that  he  knew  Gilbert  did 
wrong,  and  so  on,  and  I  gave  up  trying  to  do 
anything  with  the  little  mule,  aud  had  to  do 
all  the  translations  nryself.  Now  if  that  was 
not  the  height  of  impudence  !" 

But  the  boys  were  nearly  all  in  bed,  and 
Gilbert  blew  out  the  lamp,  leaving  Bob  to 
get  iu  in  the  dark.  Not  that  he  himself  had 
gone  to  bed,  or  was  ready  to ;  he  sat  at  the 
foot  of  it,  thoughtfully  unlacing  his  shoes. 
Why  was  it  that  a  little  feeling  of  discontent 
had  crept  into  his  heart?  Not  discontent 
with  school,  his  studies,  liis  friends,  his 
pleasures,  nor  his  prospects,  —  then  what? 

7 


98  GILBERT    STARR. 

Himself?  Gilbert  could  not  tell ;  it  was  the 
problem  Avhich  he  was  trying  to  solve.  It 
was  not  a  very  troublesome  sensation  as  yet, 
only  a  faint  sense,  down  in  his  heart,  that 
something  was  not  as  it  should  be;  who,  or 
what  it  might  be,  he  did  not  know.  Per- 
haps it  was  only  an  increased  thoughtfulness, 
which  perceived  things  amiss  whose  evil  h;id 
not  been  imagined  before.  At  any  rate,  he 
sat  at  the  foot  of  his  bed  a  long  time  after 
the  boys  were  asleep,  gravely  thinking  of 
some  things  which  the  little  boy  in  the  corner 
had  said,  and  unconsciously  judging  himself 
by  their  standard ;  wondering,  too,  why  he 
so  much  disliked  to  have  the  little  fellow 
aware  of  his  wrong-doing.  Why  should  he 
care  what  that  little  chicken  thought  or  said  ? 
—  he,  the  tallest,  smartest  boy  in  school,  and 
the  ruler  of  it !  Why,  if  he  chose,  he  could 
prevent  that  little  fellow  reading  his  Bible, 


ABOUT    THE    FLAG.  99 

stop  his  tongue,  and  forbid  him  to  do  what 
he  thought  was  right.  And  why  not? 

Gilbert  went  to  bed,  saying  to  himself, 
:<  You'd  better  look  out,  Gilbert  Starr,  and 
let  such  thoughts  alone ;  they'll  do  you  no 
good.  If  you  keep  on,  you'll  get  to  be  a 
great  baby  and  a  muff,  and  then  you'll  be 
a  fine  sight.  Better  stick  to  your  old  ways, 
and  look'  out  for  your  boating  and  things." 
And  so,  with  a  sigh,  he  went  to  sleep,  and 
put  away  thoughts  which  perplexed  him. 

After  this,  matters  went  on  prosperously 
with  the  Boat  Club.  Gilbert  brought  them 
back  to  their  room  by  nine  o'clock,  every 
evening,  and  in  so  doing  won  Mr.  Winter- 
halter's  favor  again.  And  as  the  time  drew 
nearer  and  nearer  for  the  expiration  of  the 
three  weeks,  not  only  those  directly  interest- 
ed, but  the  whole  school,  waited  anxiously  to 
see  whether  the  flag  was  to  be  won. 

It    was   now   necessary   to    prepare   Tom 


100  GILBERT    STARR. 

Fowler's  lessons  with  a  great  deal  of  care 
and  secrecy ;  and,  to  prevent  mistakes,  Gil- 
bert generally  took  the  precaution  to  look 
over  all  the  prepared  lessons  before  they 
went  to  Tom ;  so,  with  his  own  to  get,  and 
with  long  hours  of  practice  on  the  river,  his 
were  no  idle  days. 

It  was  quite  natural  that  Mr.  Winterhalter 
should  be  surprised  at  the  ease  with  which 
Tom  seemed  to  master  his  lessons.  Ho  had 
formerly  been  the  dullest  scholar  in  the 
class ;  but  this  unusual  smartness  failed  to 
excite  any  suspicious  in  the  principal's 
mind.  lie  thought  to  himself  that  his  pre- 
vious dulness  must  have  been  owing  to  the 
lack  of  a  motive  for  studying,  or  from  sheer 
laziness ;  and  that,  now  that  he  had  an  in- 
centive, he  had  proved  himself  capable  of 
doing  as  well  as  any  one. 

But  it  all  came  to  an  end  at  last, — the 
toil,  hard  study,  deception  and  fraud, — 


ABOUT  THE  FLAG.  101 

and  the  class  were  victors.  Three  weeks 
of  perfect  lessons  !  it  was  something  un- 
precedented in  school  annals.  Gilbert  took 
up  his  books  at  the  close  of  recitations 
on  the  last  afternoon,  with  a  thrill  of  pride 
that  the  class  had  been  successful.  What 
a  zest  it  would  add  to  the  race  !  How 
both  clubs  would  strain  all  "their  energies, 
the  one  to  retain,  the  other  to  possess  it ! 
His  cheeks  glowed,  and  his  eyes  sparkled  as 
he  thought  of  it.  Then,  like  a  dash  of  icy 
water,  crept  that  disagreeable  sensation  into 
his  heart.  Was  it  deception  they  had  prac- 
tised to  gain  the  flag  ?  Was  there  no  softer 
name  for  it?  Was  it  strictly  honorable,  to 
say  nothing  about  the  right  and  wrong  of 
the  subject  ?  He  was  in  no  mood  to  think  of 
these  things,  and  crushed  them  back  as  best 
he  could,  and  just  then  Mr.  Winterhaltcr 
came  in  with  the  superb  pennon. 

"  Here,"  said  he  to  Gilbert,  who  was  al- 


102  GILBERT    STARE. 

ways  supposed  to  represent  the  class,  "  take 
the  flag,  boys  ;  it  is  well  earned.  I  hope 
you'll  have  a  fine  day  for  the  race,  to-mor- 
row, and  see  to  it  that  you  don't  dishonor 
your  flag." 

The  boys  cheered  a  little  at  this.      Then  • 
Gilbert  stood  up,  and  said,  in  behalf  of  his 
class, — 

"  We  thank  you  for  it,  Mr.  Winterhalter, 
and  hope  we  may  deserve  it ; "  and  added, 
"  Will  you  allow  us  to  put  it  up  for  the  race, 
to-morrow  ?  " 

"Certainly,"  said  Mr.  Winterhalter;  "the 
flag  is  yours ;  do  with  it  as  you  choose, 
though  I  certainly  hope  that  our  Boat  Club 
may  be  so  successful  as  to  retain  it  this  side 
the  river." 

"  That  we  will !  "  "  Good  for  you  !  " 
"  Hurrah  for  Mr.  Winterhalter !  "  cried  the 
boys,  as  they  filed  out  of  the  recitation-room 
with  Gilbert,  who  carried  the  flag. 


ABOUT   THE   FLAG.  103 

Out  to  the  lawn  they  went,  and  the  pen- 
non was  stuck  up  under  the  ash  tree,  where 
the  whole  school  might  see  it.  The  boys  of 
the  lower  classes  received  it  Avith  applause, 
and  gave  the  Boat  Club  such  a  round  of 
cheers  that  it  echoed,  and  re-echoed,  and 
iloated  across  the  river  to  the  ears  of  the 
Professor's  boys,  who  faintly  returned  it. 

"Now,  three  cheers  for  Captain  Starr!" 
shouted  llufe  Fitch,  who  was  the  head-boy 
of  the  second  class  ;  and  three  such  cheers 
were  given  as  would  have  gratified  the  heart 
of  any  boy. 

Gilbert  received  them  very  pleasantly,  as 
he  was  wont  to  do  all  such  signs  of  his  pop- 
ularity, and  drawing  a  long  sigh,  said  to 
Ray  Hunter,  — 

"I'm  glad  I've  got  Tom  Fowler  oif  my 
shoulders. " 

:t  Yes,  he  is  a  heavy  fellow,"  said  Kay  , 
"  it's  been  about  all  the  whole  of  us  could 


104  GILBERT   STARR. 

do  to  cany  him ;  but  tbiuk  how  he'll  han- 
dle an  our,  to-morrow !  —  that  pays  for  the 
trouble  he's  been." 

Gilbert  shook  his  head,  as  if  he  were  not 
quite  sure  of  the  fact.  "  I  don't  know ;  — 
I  wish  I  did,"  he  said,  presently;  "I've 
thought  that  —  that — perhaps  we'd  better 
have  run  the  risk  of  losing  Tom,  and  getting 
beat  in  the  race,  than  to  carry  on  this  under- 
handed business  about  the  lessons." 

Ray  Hunter  faced  his  friend,  quickly, 
saying,  "  Gilbert  Starr,  you're  a — "  The 
epithet  "fool"  trembled  on  his  lips,  and 
though  it  was  not  uttered,  Gilbert  under- 
stood what  was  meant. 

"It  wouldn't  do  for  every  one  to  say 
that,"  he  remarked,  quietly. 

"  That's  so,  Gilbert,  —  forgive  me  ;  but 
you  do  get  some  outrageous  notions  into 
your  head,  lately.  And  it's  all  because  of 
that  Perry  Kent,  I'm  thinking.  Now  look 


ABOUT    THE   FLAG.  105 

here,  old  fellow,"  laying  his  hand  on  Gil- 
bert's shoulder,  "  you  know  I  love  you,  and 
war.t  you  to  be  top  of  everybody  in  school, 
but  you've  got  to  look  out  for  yourself!  If 
you're  going  to  get  so  baby-hearted  and 
scrupulous  about  everything,  the  fellows 
won't  look  up  to  you  a  minute.  Don't  you 
know  it  ?  Do  you  want  to  fall  from  where 
you  are  now?  " 

'  Who  said  anything  about  falling?"  said 
Gilbert,  for  an  answer. 

'  Well,  it  amounts  to  the  same  thing," 
said  Ray,  seriously ;  "  why,  Gilbert  Starr, 
you  wouldn't  have  entertained  the  idea  of 
losing  Tom  for  oarsman,  a  month  ago,  no 
more  than  you  would  have  planned  to  as- 
sassinate Mr.  Winterhalter." 

"  That's  true,"  said  Gilbert,  "  and  I've 
no  idea  of  losing  him  now ;  I  was  only  think- 
ing, and  wondering  if  —  well  —  if —  con- 
found it!  I  wonder  whether  a  fellow  can't 


106  GILBERT    STAIIR. 

be  good  and  upright  and  honorable,  with- 
out being  a  baby.  That's  what  I  was  think- 
ing of." 

Ray  Hunter  did  not  feel  himself  competent 
to  answer  this  question. 

'  Yes,"  continued  Gilbert,  "  I  wonder  if 
one  can't.  I  wish  I  knew.  I'm  sick  of 
some  things  I  do  —  that  we* all  do." 

"  Psh/iw  !  "  cried  Ray,  impatiently  ;  "I 
wish  Perry  Kent  was  in  Tartary,  or  some- 
where. I  know  it's  all  his  doings.  You're 
good  enough  as  you  are,  Gilbert  Starr. 
Come,  if  you  are  going  to  turn  into  a  sec- 
ond edition  of  that  little  youngster,  I  shall 
go  and  drown  myself." 

"  Don't  trouble  yourself,  and  don't  let 
me  hear  any  more  about  Perry  Kent.  He's 
a  good  little  fellow,  though,  and  it  wouldn't 
hurt  us  a  bit  to  take  pattern  of  some  things. 
However,  I've  no  intention  of  doing  so, 
rso  you  may  rest  in  peace,  and  let  inc. 


ABOUT   THE   FLAG.  107 

Now  those  chaps  have  got  through  their 
yelling,  let's  go  back  to  the  ash  tree.  I've 
got  to  see  Al  Turner  this  minute.  Come." 

With  this,  the  two  crossed  over  to  where 
the  secretary  and  several  of  the  first  class 
stood. 

"Give  us  your  hand,  Cap'n  Starr, — give 
us  your  hand,"  said  Tom  Fowler,  stepping 
out  to  meet  Gilbert ;  "  the  battle's  o'er,  the 
vict'ry's  won,  and  I'm  prodigiously  glad  of 
it.  Tell  you  what,  boys,  I  ain't  going  to 
get  another  perfect  lesson  in  six  months. 
If  I'd  got  to  study  as  hard  the  next  month 
as  I  have  for  the  last  three  weeks,  you  might 
lay  me  in  the  cold,  cold  grave,  and  welcome. 
Not  a  book  will  I  look  at  again  till  Winter- 
halter  compels  me  to." 

"  Come,  stop  your  nonsense,  Tom,"  said 
Gilbert,  rather  petulantly;  "there's  business 
to  be  attended  to.  I  want  the  secretary  to 
write  a  note  to  Captain  Forrest  of  the  River- 


108  GILBERT    STARR. 

side  Club,  telling  him  about  the  prize  for  the 
race,  and  I  want  some  one  to  carry  it  over." 

"  I'm  your  man  !  "  cried  several. 

"All  right!  —  but  wait  —  I  haven't  got 
the  permission,  yet.  "Write  the  note,  Al, 
and  I'll  be  back  in  a  twinkling;"  and 
having  given  this  order,  Gilbert  hurried  olif 
to  find  Mr.  Winterhalter. 

He  found  that  gentleman  in  his  study,  and 
craved  the  desired  permission,  which  the 
Principal  granted  on  condition  that  the  bearer 
of  the  note  should  be  absent  from  the  lawn 
but  twenty  minutes..  This  was  but  barely 
time  enough  to  perform  the  errand  in,  but 
Gilbert  sent  Barry  White,  who  was  fleet  of 
foot,  and,  from  their  look-out  on  the  lawn, 
the  Boat  Club  saw  him  paddle  across  the 
river  in.  the  little  boat  which  always  lay  at 
the  foot  of  the  slope,  and  from  thence  hurry 
up  the  steep  hill-side  path,  beyond. 

"  Now,  boys,"  said  Gilbert,  after  he  had 


ABOUT   THE    FLAG.  109 

disappeared,  "  our  preparations  are  all  made, 
and  there's  nothing  to  do  but  wait." 

"That's  the  hardest  part  of  it,"  said  Tom. 

"  And  I  want  to  tell  you,"  continued  Cap- 
tain Starr,  "  that  if  we  are  so  unlucky  as  to 
lose  the  pennon  that  we've  worked  so  hard 
for,  I  shall  want  to  hang  myself.  We 
mustn't  lose  it.  The  fellow  who  fails  us  to- 
morrow shall  be  voted  out  of  the  club." 

"  He'll  deserve  to  be,"  said  "Tom,  who 
had  no  fear  for  himself. 

And,  sitting  there,  they  discussed  the  sub- 
ject till  White  returned,  and  the  supper-bell 
rang ;  and  after  supper  the  lawn  was  noisy 
with  boys  till  bed-time,  —  one  and  all 
talking  of  the  event  which  was  to  take 
place  on  the  morrow,  and  anxiously  watch- 
ing the  sky,  as  its  splendor  faded,  to  see 
whether  there  was  any  trace  of  storm  or 
lowery  weather.  But  the  cloudless  arch  g!  ve 
promise  of  nothing  but  a  fair  day. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

THE    KACE. 

to  the  promise  of  the  previous  even- 
ing, the  day  dawned  fair  and  splendid. 
Never  had  the  sun  shone  brighter  on  hill  and 
river ;  never  did  the  hill  look  fairer,  or  the 
river  ripple  more  merrily.  The  morning 
breeze,  blowing  straight  off  the  cool  sea 
far  below,  rustled  in  the  flags  which  sur- 
mounted the  school-buildings  on  both  sides 
the  river,  and  slowly  folded  and  unfolded 
their  stars  and  stripes.  And  the  anxious 
eyes  which  greeted  the  first  flush,  of  day 
could  find  no  charm  lacking  by  which  the 
morning  might  be  fairer.  Yet  there  was  one 


THE    RACE.  Ill 

drawback,  the  two  clubs  thought.  Their 
v.ish  was  to  have  the  race  in  the  forenoon, 
before  the  heats  of  the  day  canie  on, 
ond  while  they  felt  fresh  and  vigorous  for 
the  trial.  But  this  arrangement,  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter  thought,  would  interfere  too  seri- 
ously with  studies  and  recitations ;  and  Pro- 
fessor Roth  was  inexorable*  So,  perforce, 
they  were  obliged  to  wait  till  afternoon,  and 
then  the  boys  of  both  schools  were  to  have 
a  half-holiday. 

How  many  times  Captain  Starr's  club  visit- 
ed their  boat-house  before  school-hours,  that 
morning,  it  would  be  difficult  to  tell.  There 
was  a  constant  running  to  and  fro  between 
the  lawn  and  the  little  white  house  where  the 
'Triton"  lay,  —  even  though  all  prepara- 
tions were  made,  and  there  was  not  a  thing 
to  do.  Gilbert  wras  apparently  in  the  best 
of  spirits,  whistling  and  siugiug  as  he  made 


112  GILBERT    STAKE. 

various  pilgrimages  to  the  river-edge,  and 
had  a  word  for  everybody. 

'What  a  mopiiug  'tis,  Perry!"  he  said, 
briskly,  as  he  came  across  the  lawn  and 
found  his  protege  by  the  thorn-hedge  ;  "  look 
sharp,  to-day,  and  you'll  see  how  boats  can 
fly.  Get  a  good  place,  where  you  can  see 
it  all,  and  douit  let  the  fellows  jostle  you 
out  of  it.  They'll  try  to  do  it,  but  stand 
your  ground  and  you'll  sec  what  a  boat-rac;-, 
is.  Why,  how  red  and  fresh  your  cheeks 
are  getting !  you  don't  look  the  same  boy  as 
when  you  came  here." 

Somehow,  Gilbert  had  begun  to  take  an 
interest  in  the  boy's  welfare ;  to  notice 
whether  he  looked  ill  and  pale,  or  whether 
he  was  fresh  and  bright ;  which  attention, 
Ray  Hunter  warned  Gilbert,  was  an  awful 
bad  sign ;  it  was  making  an  old  grandmother 
of  him,  it  was  spoiling  him  for  play,  it 
would  make  him  the  wonder  of  the  whole 


THE   RACE.  113 

class ;  for  who  ever  heard  of  a  big  fellow  like 
him  looking  after  such  a  little  chick  ?  How- 
ever, Gilbert  did  as  he  chose. 

Was  it  any  wonder  that  lessons  and  recita- 
tions dragged  fearfully  that  forenoon  ?  —  that 
the  boys'  minds  were  somewhere  else  ? — that 
Tom  Fowler,  in  answer  to  a  question  in 
mathematics,  replied,  "  30  feet  long,  by  21 
inches  wide,"  which  happened  to  be  just 
the  dimensions  of  the  "Triton"? — and  that 
Mr.  TVinterhalter  and  hie  assistants  secretly 
thought  it  had  been  good  policy  to  have  let 
school  out  that  forenoon  ?  But  it  came  to  an 
end,  at  last,  and  they  were  free. 

After  a  slight  lunch,  the  Boat  Club  rushed 
off  to  their  room  to  dress,  and  the  rest  of 
the  school  disposed  themselves  to  pass  away 
the  time,  till  they  were  to  be  allowed  to  go 
tc  the  river-edge,  as  best  they  could.  At 
this  noon-tide,  the  sun  beat  hot  and  swelter- 
ing upon  the  river,  only  the  faintest  breath 

8 


114  GILBERT    STARR. 

of  wind  stirred  in  the  ash  tree  and  whis- 
pered through  the  water-rushes,  and  on  Riv- 
erside there  was  not  the  least  sign  of  stir. 

"  It  looks,"  said  Ned  Rogers,  who  still 
claimed  Perry's  attention  as  much  as  possi- 
ble, "as  if  everybody  on  Riverside  was 
dead  and  buried ;  but  wait  till  it  gets  a 
little  cooler,  and  you'll  see !  Them  Roth 
boys  do  beat  everything  to  shout  and  yell. 
We've  had  boat  races  before,  and  when  their 
club  beat  ours,  they  made  the  river  ring,  I 
tell  you." 

"Do  they  always  beat?"  Perry  asked. 

"  Always?"  said  Ned,  amazed  at  such 
ignorance ;  "  you'd  better  guess  the}7  don't ! 
Gilbert  beats  'em  'most  every  time.  Forrest 
is  their  captain,  and  he's  smart,  but  their 
crew  ain't  half  so  smart  as  ours,  you  see. 
So  thby  can't  come  it ! " 

"Where's  the  flag?"  Perry  asked,  —  "the 
prize-flag?" 


PHE    RACE.  115 

"Why,  don't  you  know?"  said  Ned,  with 
another  look  of  pity  at  such  a  lack  of  knowl- 
edge ;  "  why,  it  was  carried  over  to  River- 
side for  their  club  to  see,  and  then  it  was 
put  into  Mr.  Prescott's  hands.  Mr.  Pres- 
cott  he's  umpire,  judge, — whatever  you 
call  it,  —  and  it's  his  business  to  decide  who 
wins,  and  then  to  give  the  flag.  Oh,  but 
Mr.  Prescott's  a  nice  old  fellow !  he  'most 
always  makes  a  speech.  Why,"  continued 
Ned,  "  I  should  think  Gilbert  would  tell  you 
all  these  things.  All  the  rest  of  the  boys 
know  about  them  just  as  soon  as  they  hap- 
pen. You  see,  Mr.  Prescott  ain't  partial 
to  either  side,  so  the  boys  like  him  first- 
rate.  And  he  sets  the  stakes,  and  times  'em, 
and  docs  all  the  business,  so  that  everything 
is  fair  and  square.  But  if  either  —  " 

Here  Master  Ned  was  interrupted  in  his 
patronizing  explanations  by  a  stir  among  the 
boys  around  them. 


116  GILBERT   STARR. 

"  Oh,  look !  "  he  cried;  "  there  comes  our 
club,  and  all  dressed.  Ain't  they  grand?" 
and  ran  off  with  the  crowd,  dragging  Perry 
with  him. 

Gilbert,  with  his  crew,  had  just  come  on 
to  the  lawn,  and  a  splendid  sight  they  were 
in  the  eyes  of  the  rest  of  the  school.  A 
tumult  of  applause  and  exclamations  buzzed 
around  them,  mingled  with  the  praise  and 
criticisms  which  are  always  ready  upon  boys' 
tongues.  Captain  Starr  tarried  a  little  while 
to  please  the  crowd,  and  very  likely  not 
unwilling  to  hear  the  words  of  admiration 
which  his  appearance  was  always  pretty 
sure  to  call  forth,  and  kept  searching  the 
Riverside  hill  with  his  gray  eyes.  But  there 
were  yet  no  signs  of  stir. 

"  How  confounded  hot  'tis!"  said  Tom 
Fowler,  wiping  his  forehead ;  "  I  shall  be  as 
weak  as  a  rag  before  half-past  two." 

"  It's  two,  already,"  said  Gilbert,  looking 


THE    RACE.  117 

at  his  watch;  "we  haven't  long  to  wait. 
And  that  makes  me  think !  Who  is  to  be 
my  fag  this  afternoon?  I  want  to  leave 
my  watch  with  some  one,  and  my  pocket- 
book,  too ;  you  know,  Ray,  I  lost  'em  both 
last  year.  I'm  going  to  look  out  -  this 
time." 

There  were  dozens  of  applicants  for  the 
honor,  as  it  was  no  ordinary  pleasure  to  be 
able  to  say,  —  among  the  great  crowd  on 
the  river-bank,  —  "  I've  got  Captain  Starr's 
watch  to  keep,"  or,  "  Captain  Starr  put 
his  pocket-book  in  my  care,"  and  then  to 
look  about  on  the  less  fortunate  with  such 
an  air  of  supreme  exaltation. 

Gilbert  was  puzzled  to  decide  among  so 
many,  and  just  then  a  sudden  thought  struck 
him.  "Where's  Perry?  Perry  Kent,  come 
here.  You  shall  be  my  fag  this  afternoon, 
and  be  sure  and  be  in  sight  somewhere,  if 
I  want  you;"  -and  with  that  he  put  his 


118  GILBERT   STARR. 

treasures  into  his  protege's  hands,  and  thus, 
unwittingly,  made  him  the  object  of  the 
envious  crowd's  persecutions  for  the  whole 
afternoon.  Hardly  had  the  murmurs  of  dis- 
satisfaction died  away  when  Ray  exclaimed, 
"  Look  over  on  Riverside  ! " 

All  eyes  were  turned  in  that  direction. 
Down  the  steep  path  rushed  a  great  crowd 
of  boys,  whooping,  hallooing,  and  swing- 
ing their  hats  to  their  neighbors  on  Mr. 
Winterhalter's  lawn.  Behind  them,  follow- 
ing at  a  more  sober  pace,  were  the  members 
of  the  rival  Boat  Club,  distinguished  by  their 
blue  uniforms. 

"Hurrah!"  said  Tom  Fowler;  "they're 
up  to  time !  Give  the  word,  Cap'u,  and 
let  us  be  off." 

Gilbert  gave  the  word,  and  led  his  men 
away,  —  stopping  at  the  little  gate  in  the 
hedge  to  say  to  the  crowd  which  pressed 
close  at  their  heels,  "  Now  keep  good 


THE    RACE.  119 

order,  and  none  of  your  shouting;  and 
don"t  you  let  me  see  any  fights  on  our 
side  of  the  river." 

Once  off  from  the  lawn,  the  boys  scattered 
in  all  directions,  —  the  Boat  Club  moving 
in  a  crimson  line  straight  to  their  little 
wharf. 

Now  the  length  of  river  which  had  been 
selected  as  the  best  for  the  race  was  not 
directly  opposite  Mr.  Winterhalter's ;  it 
was  a  little  below.  Thither  the  greater 
part  of  the  school  hurried  at  once,  running 
and  shouting  through  the  low  incado\vs,  the 
fortunate  first-comers  seizing  upon  what  few 
shade-trees  there  were  scattered  up  and 
down  the  river-side,  -and  the  rest  taking 
their  stations  all  along  the  bank,  wherever 
they  fancied  the  best  view  was  to  be 
obtained.  Perry,  with  Gilbert's  treasures, 
followed  the  rest  down  to  the  meadows, 
and  found  himself  a  comfortable  look-out 


120  GILBERT    STARR. 

under  a  scraggy  willow  which  no  one  had 
taken  possession  of,  apparently  because 
it  was  deemed  too  far  up,  or  too  near  the 
starting-place.  From  this  seat  there  was 
a  long  view  down  the  shining  pathway  of 
the  river,  glowing  like  molten  silver,  with 
its  green  bank  on  either  side  dotted  with 
boys,  from  the  willow  where  Perry  sat  far 
down  to  the  point  where  something  white 
glittered  and  fluttered,  marking  the  end 
of  the  race-course.  Here  and  there,  where 
the  river  faded  away  between  the  hills,  a 
lazy  sail  rounded  into  view,  or,  becalmed  in 
the  breathless  reaches  under  the  ridge,  hung 
idle  and  motionless,  not  a  cloud  to  shadow 
the  whole. 

Professor  Roth's  boys  had  the  advantage 
of  their  neighbors,  so  far  as  a  pleasant  look- 
out was  concerned ;  for  on  their  side  of  the 
river  was  the  wide,  flat  road  under  the  hill, 
guarded  by  a  railing;  and  by  the  railing 


THE    RACE.  121 

were  benches  where  pedestrians  might  sit 
and  rest  under  the  great  shadow  of  the 
hill,  and  here  Perry  could  see  them  sitting 
and  regarding  the  whole  scene  at  their  ease. 
Two  or  three  little  boats  which  belonged 
that  side  of  the  river  were  afloat,  and  filled 
with  spectators.  And  there  were  two  or 
three  gentlemen  paddling  about  in  a  boat, 
one  of  whom  Perry  suspected  was  Mr. 
Prescott. 

On  the  top  of  the  -hill,  in  the  school- 
grounds,  where  they  could  overlook  the 
whole,  quite  a  number  of  ladies  and  gentle- 
men were  gathered,  and  as  the  time  drew 
nearer  and  nearer  for  the  race  to  commence, 
the  number  increased. 

The  blue-coated  Riverside  Club  were  the 
first  to  come  round  into  their  places,  and 
then  a  great  shout  went  up  from  the  boys 
on  that  side  of  the  river,  and  the  ladies' 
handkerchiefs  waved  encouragingly.  And 


122  GILBERT    STARR. 

when  they  had  taken  their  place,  and  their 
long  sharp  boat  had  lain  motionless  on  the 
water  a  few  seconds,  Captain  Starr's  boat 
shot  out  from  its  mooring,  amid  the  cheers 
of  his  friends  who  were  determined  not  to 
be  outdone  in  the  matter  of  noise,  and 
glided — a  bright  crimson  line  —  into  po- 
sition with  his  rival. 

Then  there  was  breathless  waiting  both 
sides  the  river.  Perry  saw  no  signal  given, 
heard  no  word  uttered,  but  suddenly  the 
oars  dipped,  the  boats  shot  ahead,  and  the 
race  commenced. 

It  was  a  fair  sight  and  pleasant  to  see,  — 
the  long  river-view,  the  crowds  on  the  green 
banks,  the  two  streaks  of  red  and  blue,  oars 
flashing  like  blades  of  ruddy  gold  and  drip- 
ping sparkling  drops,  and  the  sun  high  and 
smiling  over  all.  Neither  gaining  upon  the 
other,  straight  they  steered  for  the  flutter- 
ing white  signal  far  down  the  stream. 


THE   RACE.  123 

A  little  low  murmur  of  cheers  came  from 
the  boys  on  Mr.  Winterhalter's  side  of  the 
river  as  Gilbert's  boat  passed,  but  for  the 
most  part  the  spectators  on  both  sides  were 
quiet  and  watchful.  Some  of  the  little  boats, 
under  the  shadow  of  Riverside,  dropped 
down  stream  to  get  a  better  look  at  the 
race. 

Meanwhile,  it  was  quite  as  silent  in  Cap- 
tain Starr's  boat,  save  some  low  word  of 
command,  and  the  steady,  regular  dip  of  the 
oars,  —  the  rowers  swaying  at  their  task, 
arms  working  with  a  will,  eyes  on  their 
work,  all  energies  bent  for  the  accomplish- 
ment of  the  feat.  Defeat?  It  was  not  to 
be  thought  of !  Shine  the  sun  as  hot  as  it 
would,  arms  grow  weary,  eyes  dazzled  with 
the  glare,  there  was  only  one  sight  to  see, 
one  object  to  work  for,  and  that  the 
gleaming  goal  below  which  grew  nearer 


124  GILBERT    STARR. 

every  moment.  Quietly  they  came  down 
to  it,  turned,  and  so  started  homeward. 

From  Perry's  seat  under  the  old  willow, 
the  boats  seemed  a  great  distance  off,  —  two 
dark  lines  upon  the  blue  bosom  of  the  river, 
—  and  now  his,  as  well  as  all  eyes,  gave  anx- 
ious heed  to  their  returning.  Slowly  enough 
they  seemed  to  come,  as  if  the  heat  had  told 
upon  the  rowrers'  arms,  and  the  two  boats 
were  apparently  just  abreast. 

Steadily,  steadily  onward,  gradually  growr 
ing  more  distinct,  oars  beginning  to  flash 
again  in  the  sunlight,  drops  to  sparkle. 
How  eager  and  quiet  the  crowd  were  !  Then 
it  was,  as  they  began  to  near,  that  Gilbert's 
boat  was  found  to  be  a  little  ahead.  Only 
a  trifle,  to  be  sure ;  but,  perhaps,  enough  to 
win  the  day,  and  a  great  victorious  shout 
rose  up  from  the  boys  of  Mr.  Winterhalter's 
school.  It  came  so  suddenly,  and  rang  out  so 
loud  and  clear,  that  it  almost  seemed  to  have 


THE   BACE.  125 

fallen  from  the  sky.  All  was  silent  as  death 
on  Riverside.  On  and  on  they  came,  strain- 
ing every  nerve,  and  Gilbert's  boat  gaming 
a  few  inches  in  every  rod.  Perhaps  it  was 
Torn  Fowler's  strokes  which  told  so  well 
just  now.  He  always  seemed  to  have  a  good 
stock  of  reserved  strength  for  an  emergency, 
and,  perhaps,  Gilbert  would  not  regret  de- 
ceiving Mr.  Winterhalter  after  all. 

The  boys  came  racing  breathlessly  up  the 
river-bank,  pushing  Perry  out  of  his  seat, 
and  almost  trampling  him  down  in  their  mad 
haste  to  get  opposite  the  goal  where  the  race 
was  to  end.  But  Perry  scrambled  to  his  feet 
just  as  the  boats  shot  past  the  wrillow  tree. 

Success  seemed  certain ;  the  prow  of  Gil- 
bert's boat  was  already  four  or  five  feet  be- 
yond that  of  the  "  Mermaid,"  and  the  goal 
but  a  rod  off;  his  friends  were  just  ready 
to  burst  into  an  exultant  shout,  when  there 
was  a  sudden  little  clash  of  oars,  something 


126  GILBERT   STARR. 

checked  the  speed  of  both  boats,  there  was 
a  second  of  wavering,  then,  with  one  last 
great  effort,  the  crew  of  the  "  Mermaid"  bent 
all  their  oars,  and  shot  into  the  goal — ahead  ! 

Deep  silence  reigned  for  a  moment  on  both 
sides  the  river.  Then  shout  after  shout  went 
up  from  the  Riverside  boys, —  wild,  tumultu- 
ous cheers,  that  were  all  the  wilder  and  loud- 
er because  defeat  had  seemed  theirs.  And 
Mr.  Winterhalter's  boys  were  silent  with  dis- 
may and  astonishment.  What  could  it  mean  ? 

'  What  could  have  happened  to  'em  just 
that  moment  ?  —  that  minute  of  all  minutes  I 
Oh,  confound  it  all !  "  said  Rufe  Fitch,  danc- 
ing about  in  the  height  of  his  disappoint- 
ment; "who  ever  heard  of  such  a  thing? 
What  could  have  happened?" 

:t  Wait  and  see,"  said  Copp  ;  "  there  they 
go,  up  to  Mr.  Prescott.  Oh,  we've  lost  our 
flagl" 

Gilbert's  boat  did  not  go  up  to  the  start- 


THE    RACE.  127 

ing-place  at  all,  but  turned  about  and  made 
directly  for  Mr.*  Prescott,  who  was  to  award 
the  flag.  Had  they  been  near  enough,  his 
friends  would  have  seen  that  his  face  was 
white  with  anger ;  as  it  was,  they  heard  him 
say,  as  his  boat  floated  in  front  of  that  gen- 
tleman, "  Mr.  Prescott,  they  "got  afoul  of  us  ! 
—  they  tried  to  do  it  all  the  way  up,  after 
we  got  ahead  of  them ! " 

The  friends  on  shore  listened  eagerly. 

"  And,"  added  Gilbert,  illy  concealing  his 
passion,  "  they're  a  set  of  cowards  and 
cheats,  the  whole  of  them ! " 

"  Easy,  easy,  Starr,"  said  Mr.  Prescott ; 
"  let  me  inquire  into  this.  Here,  Forrest," 
turning  to  the  captain  of  the  "  Mermaid," 
which  had  just  come  alongside,  "  tell  me,  on 
your  honor,  whether  you  tried  to  get  afoul  of 
the  '  Triton.'  " 

"  On  my  honor,  we  did  not ! "  said  Forrest, 
who  was  as  fiery  of  temper  as  Gilbert  him- 


128  GILBERT    STARR. 

self,  and  could  poorly  bear  such  a  suspi- 
cion. 

'  You  hear  what  he  says,"  said  Mr.  Pres- 
cott,  turning  again  to  the  captain  of  the 
"  Triton,"  "  and  I  think  he  is  right." 

:'  Then  he  lies  !  "  said  Gilbert,  fiercely, — 
"  he  lies  !  and  I  tell  him  so  to  his  face ! 
He  tried  to  get  his  boat  afoul  of  us  for 
twenty  rods  below  !  " 

Two  bright  red  spots  burned  on  either  of 
Forrest's  cheeks,  as  he  said,  "  I  throw  the  lie 
back  in  his  face  !  I  don't  know  how  we  got 
tangled.  I  only  know  that  we  were  pretty 
close  for  a  long  time,  and  before  I  thought, 
we  struck.  I  supposed  he  would  strike  out 
and  get  in  first,  for  all  that;  but  he  didn't, 
and  so  we  won." 

"  Really,  Starr,"  said  Mr.  Prescott,  kindly, 
"  that  is  the  way  I  look  upon  it  myself.  I 
don't  think  it  was  intentional,  or  that  Forrest 
is  capable  of  such  a  meanness.  So  I  —  " 


THE    RACE.  129 

But  Gilbert,  perfectly  white  with  passion, 
had  allowed  his  auger  to  thoroughly  master 
him.  He  turned  his  back  upon  Mr.  Prescott, 
saying  to  his  men,  "  Row  ashore  ;  there's  no 
fairness  to  be  got  here.  Captain  Forrest  is 
welcome  to  the  flag,  and  his  own  meanness. 
I  won't  have  anything  to  do  with  either ! " 

So,  obdurate  to  all  calls  or  entreaties,  they 
rowed  ashore,  where  Gilbert  would  say  never 
a  word  to  the  great  crowd  of  boys  who  gath- 
ered around  him,  but,  angry  and  pale, 
pushed  through  them  all,  and  walked  slowly 
up  to  the  house. 


CHAPTEE    VII. 

WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED. 

remainder  of  the  "Triton's"  crew 
stopped  at  the  little  wharf.  They  had 
enough  to  do,  for  a  time,  with  satisfying  the 
volleys  of  questions  which  their  eager  friends 
poured  forth.  Ray  Hunter  told  the  whole 
story  again  and  again,  always  adding  what 
Gilbert  had  called  his  rival,  and  what  he  had 
said  to  Mr.  Prescott.  By  and  by  Ray  went 
up  to  the  house  to  find  his  friend.  But  the 
remainder  of  the  crew,  and  the  school-boys, 
lingered  by  the  river's  edge,  discussing  the 
event,  and  were  loud  in  their  denunciations 
of  Forrest. 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  131 

"  He's  a  cheat,  anyhow  !  "  said  Rufe  Fitch, 
"  and  if  our  Captain's  got  any  spunk,  he'll 
make  him  apologize,  or  fight !  " 

'  You  needn't  talk  about  spunk,"  said 
Tom  Fowler ;  "  you  should  have  seen  Gil- 
bert's face.  I  declare,  if  we  hadn't  been  on 
the  water,  I  believe  the  Cap'n  would  have 
pitched  into  Forrest  right  on  the  spot." 

"  I  wish  he  had,"  said  Sam  Copp. 

rt  Water's  a  plaguy  poor  place  to  fight  in," 
said  Tom,  dryly ;  "  and  it  wouldn't  have 
looked  just  right  either,  before  all  the  ladies 
and  gentlemen." 

"  Who  cares  -for  that?  "  said  Bob  Upham  ; 
"  Gilbert's  got  to  look  out  for  the  honor 
of  the  school  anywhere." 

"Don't  you  worry  about  the  honor,"  said 
Tom ;  "  you  never  see  Gilbert's  face  look 
like  that,  without  something  coming  of  it. 
Just  wait  and  see." 

"Do  you  think  he'll  fight?"  queried  the 


132  GILBERT    STARR. 

boys,  eagerly, — "do  you  think  he'll  fight 
Forrest?" 

"  If  he  don't,  I  will !  "  said  Barry  White, 
"  and  the  rest  of  his  crew  into  the  bargain." 

"  Pshaw !  "  said  Albert  Turner,  who  was 
standing  apart  from  the  rest  and  biting  his 
lips  with  vexation,  "  let  Gilbert  manage 
it.  He'll  do  it  best,  and  suit  you  all. 
Come,  boys,  let's  go  up  and  get  off  these 
uniforms." 

The  Boat  Club  were  about  to  turn  away, 
when  there  rose  a  shout  from  the  other  side 
of  the  river.  The  Riverside  crew  had  gone 
ashore  with  the  flag,  and  their  school  had 
received  them  with  cheers  and  shouts. 

"  Oh,  the  cheats ! "  said  Tom,  bitterly, 
as  he  looked  across  the  river ;  and  the  rest 
of  the  boys  echoed  it,  and  at  last  the  murmur 
grew  into  a  shout  which  they  flung  back 
across  the  \vater, —  defiant,  menacing.  Their 
rivals  answered  with  a  faint  cheer,  and  soon 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  133 

the  crowd  on  the  hill  broke  up,  the  blue 
coats  disappeared,  the  boys  went  up  to  their 
grounds,  and  there  was  the  river  as  calm 
and  peaceful  as  ever,  beginning  to  ripple 
and  sparkle  with  the  fresh,  late  afternoon 
breeze  that  was  coming  up  with  strong, 
steady  puffs  from  the  sea,  which  brought  the 
lagging  sails  into  sight. 

'  Meanwhile,  Perry  had  witnessed  Gilbert's 
defeat  and  seen  his  anger.  He  was  -one  of 
those  who  gathered  about  him  as  he  landed 
upon  the  wharf,  and  had  tried  to  restore  to 
him  his  treasures.  But  Gilbert  gave  him 
no  heed,  and  almost  knocked  him  over  as 
he  hurried  past  without  giving  him  a  look. 
And  here  he  fell  again  into  the  hands  of  the 
Philistines,  who,  being  in  want  of  an  object 
to  vent  their  wrath  upon,  took  him  for  that 
purpose.  • 

Perry,     under     Gilbert's     training,     had 
learned  to  restrain   his   tears  somewhat,  sr 


134  GILBERT    STARR. 

that  the  boys  foiled  to  make  him  cry ;  but  he 
met  with  some  very  rough  treatment,  and 
was  greatly  troubled  to  keep  the  watch  in  his 
possession,  it  being  his  tormentors'  object  to 
get  it  away  from  him,  and  pretend  to  Gil- 
bert that  his  fag  was  unfaithful  and  careless. 

Ray  Hunter  chanced  to  come  down  to  the 
wharf  just  then,  to  see  if  the  "  Triton"  had 
been  properly  taken  care  of.  Though  he 
was  secretly  jealous  of  Perry,  and  accord- 
ingly disliked  him,  he  had  the  good-hearted- 
ness  to  drive  the  boys  away. 

"  Well,"  said  he,  surveying  the  boy,  "you 
have  got  a  little  spirit,  I'm  glad  to  see. 
Now,  have  you  got  Gilbert's  things  safe  and 
sound?" 

'  Yes,"  said  Perry;  "  and  where  can  I 
find  him?" 

"  He's  up  to  the  house,  and  in  his  room," 
said  Eaj^j  soberly ;  "  but  I  advise  you  to 
keep  away  from  him  for  a  while." 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  135 

'  Why?"  said  Perry,  wonderingly. 

"Because,  he  may  take  your  head  off;  he 
threw  his  boot-jack  at  miue  just  now ; "  aud 
then,  after  laughing  a  little  at  Perry's 
shocked  face,  added,  "You  see,  Gilbert's 
got  an  awful  temper, — more  than  all  the  rest 
of  us  put  together,  —  and  when  it's  up,  he's 
wild  as  a  loon,  and  don't  mind  throwing 
shoes,  inkstands,  boot-jacks,  and  things  at 
a  fellow's  head.  But  he'll  be  better  by 
morning,  and  you'd  better  keep  away  from 
him  till  then." 

Perry  secretly  thought  that  Eay  had 
greatly  exaggerated  the  story,  and  mentally 
resolved  to  see  Gilbert  at  once,  and  restore 
his  effects  before  they  were  wrested  from 
him ;  so  he  started  for  the  house,  Ray  call- 
ing to  him  from  the  boat-house,  — 

"  If  he  takes  your  head  off,  don't  you 
come  complaining  to  me." 

The    school   had  gathered    oil   the    lawn, 


136  GILBERT    STARR. 

waiting  for  the  supper-bell  to  ring,  and  tbo 
Boat  Club  had  removed  their  uniforms  and 
were  there,  too,  —  all  but  Gilbert,  —  and  as 
no  one  offered  to  molest  him,  Perry  went 
straight  to  the  room  where  he  knew  the  Cap- 
tain must  be.  The  door  was  shut,  and  he 
knocked.  No  answer  came,  and  there  was 
not  a  breath  of  sound  within ;  so  he  softly 
pushed  open  the  door.  No  one  in  the  room 
but  Gilbert,  and  he  sitting  on  the  foot  of  his 
bed,  with  his  hands  pressed  tightly  over  his 
.face,  and  his  head  bowed,  as  if  he  were  un- 
der disgrace  ;  and  he  did  not  look  up. 

Perry  hesitated  a  few  seconds,  then  went 
up  to  him,  touched  his  shoulder,  and  said, 
softly,  — 

"  Here's  your  watch  and  pocket-book,  Gil- 
bert ;  I've  kept  them  safe." 

Gilbert  turned  about,  with  a  face  so  ut 
terly  changed  from  its  usual  expression  b} 
anger,  that  Perry  instinctively  moved  back. 


WHAT  A  NOTE   REVEALED.  137 

"Don't  talk  to  me  about  watches  nor 
pocket-books  ! "  he  exclaimed ;  "  lay  them 
down  somewhere,  and  go  away.  I  won't  see 
anybody." 

Peny  did  as  he  was  commanded,  laid 
them  by  his  side,  started  to  go  out  the  door, 
and  stopped  on  the  threshold.  It  terrified 
him  to  see  Gilbert  so  wild  with  passion,  so 
lost  to  all  other  feelings  or  sense  of  good, 
and  while  he  had  not  quite  the  courage  to 
speak  again,  he  longed  to  stay ;  and  so,  be- 
twixt the  two  impulses,  he  lingered.  Pres- 
ently Gilbert  looked  up. 

"What  !  you  here?"  he  cried,  getting  up  ; 
"  didn't  I  tell  you  to  go  ?  Didn't  I  tell  you 
I  wouldn't  see  any  one?  Come,"  grasping 
his  protege  by  the  arm,  and  dragging  him 
into  the  hall,  "I'll  throw  you  over  the  balus- 
ters I " 

Perry  made  no  resistance, — indeed,  how 
could  he  ?  —  and  allowed  himself  to  be 


138  GILBERT    STARK. 

dragged,  along  without  a  struggle,  feeling 
quite  confident  that  Gilbert  would  come  to 
his  senses,  and  not  harm  him  after  all.  And 
he  did. 

"Well,"  said  he,  stopping  suddenly  short, 
"I  believe  I'm  possessed  with  an  evil  spirit," 
and  put  Perry  down. 

"Oh,  Gilbert!"  said  the  little  boy,  at 
finding  himself  thus  released. 

'  There,  I  suppose  I've  scared  you  to 
death,  now,"  said  Gilbert,  in  a  vexed  tone ; 
"  but  look  here,  little  fellow,"  bending  down 
to  him,  "  I  didn't  mean  it.  I  forgot  myself. 
You  shouldn't  have  put  yourself  in  my  reach. 
What  .did  you  come  up  here  for?" 

"To  bring  your  watch,  and  the  pocket- 
book,"  said  his  protege,  faintly. 

"  Sure  enough ;  IV  forgotten.     Now  gome 
back  a  minute  ;  "  and  he  drew  Perry  into  his  ' 
room,  locking  the  door  behind   them.     He 
sat  down  in  a  chair  by  the  window,  fastening 


WHAT  A   NOTE    REVEALED.  139 

his  watch  to  its  chain,  and  restoring  the 
purse  to  his  pocket.  A  little  of  the  great 
scowl  on  his  forehead  was  gone,  and  his  eyes 
were  not  quite  so  angry ;  and  Perry,  as  soon 
as  he  could  get  sufficient  resolution,  said,  — 

"  Oh,  Gilbert !  it's  an  awful  thing  to  be  so 
angry."  . 

Gilbert  folded  his  arms,  looked  moodily 
on  the  floor,  and  said  at  last,  — 

"  I've  been  wronged  and  insulted,  and  I've 
a  right  to  be  angry." 

To  which  Perry  made  no  reply,  but  looked 
gravely  at  his  friend's  face,  hoping  every 
moment  to  see  it  relent  and  grow  soft.  At 
last,  the  corners  of  Gilbert's  mouth  began  to 
twitch,  and  he  laughed  in  spite  of  himself. 

"I  declare,"  said  he,  "you'd  make  an  owl 
laugh,  if  you  looked  at  him  with  such  a  face 
as  you  have  at  me  for  the  last  ten  minutes. 
What' re  you  thinking  about?" 


140  GILBERT    STARR. 

Perry  took  heart  and  came  up  to  his  pro- 
tector, saying,  in  his  simple  way,  — 

"  Oh,   Gilbert,  you've  been  so  awful   an- 


"  I  suppose  you're  shocked  out  of  your 
five  senses  on  account  of  it,  too,"  said  Gil- 
bert ;  "  now,  I'd  no  right  to  scare  you  to 
death  out  in  the  hall,  I  acknowledge,  but, 
you  see,  I  can't  help  it, — being  angry,  I 
mean.  It  rushes  all  over  me  at  once,  and  I 
do  all  sorts  of  things  before  I  know  it. 
Now  you  can't  get  mad,  if  you  try  three 
weeks." 

"But  you  might  try  not  to,"  suggested  his 
protege,  still  very  earnest. 

"There!  no  more  preaching  this  time," 
said  Gilbert ;  "  I've  got  other  things  to 
think  of.  You're  a  good  little  fellow,"  put- 
ting his  arm  kindly  about  Perry,  "and  it 
does  very  well  for  you  to  think  of  these 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  141 

things,  and  hold  your  temper,  and  so  on; 
but  for  me,  — pshaw  !  it's  no  use." 

"  Oh,  Gilbert  !  if  you  only  would!"  cried 
Perry,  clinging  very  fast  to  his  arm. 

"  Well,  I  have  thought  of  it,"  said  his  pro- 
tector, with  a  slight  flush  on  his  face,  and 
making  a  confession  which  he  would  have 
breathed  to  no  one  on  earth  besides ;  "but — 
pshaw !  it  would  be  as  useless  as  to  "try  to 
dip  up  the  river  with  that  inkstand;*  for, 
don't  you  see,  I've  ten  thousand  things  to 
pull  me  down  if  I  undertake  ?  I'm  at  the 
head  of  the  school,  and  there  are  hundreds  of 
things,  not  quite  right,  which  I  must  do,  and 
overlook,  and  call  right,  — little  matters  that 
you  never  dreamed  of,  —  and  I  can't  do  any 
other  way.  Why,  if  I  did,  I  should  be 
pulled  down  in  a  twinkling.  I  must  fight  for 
the  honor  of  the  school,  and  keep  that  bright, 
even  if  my  own  does  get. —  But  what's  the 
use  of  talking?  It's  all  an  impossibility! 


142  GILBERT    STARR. 

But  you  may  be  good  and  pure,  and  I  love 
to  see  you  so  ;  aud,"  he  added,  quietly,  "  I 
bless  the  day  that  ever  you  came  to  school. 
Now  run  down  to  supper,  -for  I  heard  the 
bell  ring.  Tell  them,  if  they  ask,  that 
I'm  not  coming.  Go  ! "  and  Perry  had  to 
obey. 

When  had  Gilbert  Starr  ever  opened  his 
heart  to  any  one  like  that?  Somehow,  after 
his  protege  had  gone,  he  was  in  no  mood 
for  auger.  When  his  friends  of  the  Club 
came  up  from  supper,  they  found  him  sit- 
ting, with  his  uniform  yet  on,  by  the  win- 
dow, and  apparently  quite  peaceably  inclined. 
And  straightway  they  went  to  work  at  him, 
to  find  whether  he  was  going  to  fight  For- 
rest, and  defend  the  honor  of  the  school. 

This  fair  day  ended  writh  a  thunder-storm, 
which  rose  at  sunset,  and  raged  half  the 
night.  There  were  vivid  sheets  of  flame, 
sharp  crashes  of  thunder,  long,  rolling  echoes 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  143 

rumbling  in  the  hills,  and  wild  dashes  of  rain 

against  the  panes.    Yet,  when  morning  broke, 

^the  sky  was  blue  and  cloudless,  the   earth 

freshened  and  all  a  glitter,  and  the  river  roll- 

» 
ing  and  sparkling  as  merrily  as  ever. 

Perry  was  up  before  any  of  the  boys  in  his 
room, — the  Boat  Club  were  weary  with 
their  yesterday's  work,  —  and  went  out  on 
the  lawn  while  yet  it  had  scarcely  an  occu- 
pant. As  he  came  around  the  corner  of  the 
piazza,  he  spied  a  little  fragment  of  white 
paper,  carefully  folded,  and  lying  directly  in 
his  path.  It  was  muddy,  and  drenched  with 
the  night's  rain,  and  he  could  not  have  told 
what  motive  prompted  him  to  pick  it  up.  It 
was  likely  to  prove  only  a  bit  of  translation, 
or  a  solution  in  mathematics,  which  some  of 
the  first  class  had  thrown  away.  He  strolled 
on  without  sufficient  curiosity  to  open  the 
soiled  scrap,  till  he  got  to  the  farther  end  of 
the  lawn,  by  the  hedge-row.  Here  he  pulled 


144  GILBERT    STARR. 

the  wet  surfaces  .apart,  and  found  a  half- 
dozen  hurriedly  written  lines  within, — evi- 
dently the  first  thoughts  which  the  writer 
had  put  down  towards  a  note,  of  which  this 
was  probably  the  first  copy,  — for  there  were 
marks  of  erasion  in  abundance,  and  the 
whole  note  wore  a  look  as  if  the  writer  had 
pondered  and  hesitated  over  it.  And  this 
was  what  he  read : 

"  AT  RAINFOKD  SCHOOL,  WEDNESDAY  EVENING. 

"  FORREST,  — After  what  has  happened  to- 
day, you  must  know  that  our  school  expect 
you  to  apologize,  or  settle  the  affair  in  the 
only  other  way  it  can-  be  settled.  If  you 
won't  apologize,  meet  me  at  Rainford  bridge 
to-morrow  night,  at  sundown.  You  know 
what  for.  GILBERT  STARR." 

Perry  read  the  blurred  and  muddy  note 
twice  through,  before  he  could  believe  that 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALEEX.  145 

he  bad  read  aright.  He  did  not .  quite 
comprehend  the  significance  of  the  lino  in 
italics,  but  he  was  sure  the  words  foreboded 
some  evil.  He  had  heard  the  boys  boasting, 
the  previous  afternoon,  that  Gilbert  would 
teach  Forrest  a  lesson  ;  bat  what  that  lesson 
was  to  be,  he  had  not  imagined.  How  many 
ways  were  there  to  settle  a  quarrel  ?  This 
note  hinted  there  were  but  two,  and  if  one 
was  apologizing,  the  other  must  be  —  what? 
Perry  was  not  long  in  coming  to  a  con- 
clusion. He  had  seen  enough  of  the  ways 
of  his  schoolmates  to  bo  pretty  certain  that 
the  "  other  way,"  which  was  so  vaguely 
hinted  of,  meant  nothing  les.3  than  fighting. 
But  where  had  the  note  corne  from  ?  Perry 
walked  back  to  the  corner  of  the  piazza 
and  saw  that  the  window  above,  which 
opened  from  Gilbert's  room,  was  raised  a 
few  inches.  Then  it  was  all  plain ;  it  had 
fluttered  down  from  thence,  from  off  the  little 


146  GILBERT    STARR. 

writing-desk  which  always  stood  before  that 
window,  the  joint  property  of  the  Boat  Club. 
A  crowd  of  boys  came  running  along  the 
path  at  that  instant,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
secrete  the  note  in  his  pocket,  but  he  went 
away  from  them  all  and  sat  down,  trying  to 
think  what  it  was  best  to  do.  You  may  be 
sure  it  seemed  a  horrible  thing  to  him  to 
imagine  Gilbert  and  the  head-boy  of  River- 
side fighting, —  fighting  for  what  they  deemed 
honor;  and  he  puzzled  his  brain  with  fear- 
ful conjectures  of  the  consequences.  It  was 
against  the  rule  of  both  schools,  and  punish- 
able with  loss  of  rank  and  scholarship ;  yet 
there  were  few  terms  passed  which  did  not 
witness  these  collisions  between  the  older 
boys.  Generally,  Professor  Roth  and  Mr. 
Winterhalter  were  ignorant  of  the  affair,  and 
the  participators  escaped  without  disgrace  or 
punishment ;  but  occasionally  their  trespasses 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  147 

% 

were  discovered  and  the  offenders  dealt  sum- 
marily with. 

Now  what  could  Perry  do  ?  He  had  not 
the  least  influence  to  prevail  upon  the  Boat 
Club  to  use  efforts  in  behalf  of  peace,  nor 
did  he  cherish  the  least  hope  that  Gilbert 
would  listen  to  a  word  from  him.  And 
here  was  the  morning  slipping  away,  and 
evening  "was  to  bring  the  fight.  Oh,  what 
could  he  do  ?  The  breakfast-bell  rang  while 
he  was  pondering,  and  he  was  forced  to  fall 
in  with  the  crowd  and  go  to  the  eating-room. 
Gilbert  was  not  there,  but  came  in  late, 
looking  rather  dull  and  tired. 

A  little  buzz  of  exclamation  and  whispers 
ran  around  the  table  as  he  entered,  and 
Perry  heard  Sam  Copp  say,  in  a  low  tone,  to 
his  neighbor,  "  The  Cap'n  don't  look  very 
smart  for  a  brush  with  Forrest." 

"  No,"  said  Rufe  Fitch,  in  the  same  tone, 


148  GILBEHT   STAKE. 

"  he    looks    played   out.      I  believe   I  could 
whip  him  now,  myself." 

These  remarks  were  not  calculated  to  put 
Perry  at  his  ease.  He  gave  Gilbert  many  a 
wistful  look  from  his  seat  a  little  way  down 
the  long  line  ;  but  Gilbert  looked  at  no  one, 
and  so  they  failed  to  accomplish  their  object. 
He  tried  to  catch  his  eye  when  the  boys  were 
leaving  the  table,  feeling  sure  that  Gilbert 
would  stop  a  minute ;  but  Albert  Turner 
and  Hay  Hunter  hurried  him  back  up  to 
their  room,  where  they  stayed  till  it  was 
almost  time  for  recitations  to  commence. 
The  first  opportunity  which  Perry  had  to 
restore  the  note  was  while  the  bell  w;is 
ringing  for  recitations,  and  Gilbert  and  some 
of  his  class  were  walking  across  the  lawn 
toward  the  hall  door.  He  ran  up  to  him, 
tugged  at  his  sleeve,  and  drew  his  attention 
to  himself. 


WHAT   A   NOTE    REVEALED.  149 

'You,  Perry?"  said  Gilbert,  with  some 
surprise.  'What's  wanting?" 

For  an  answer,  Perry  slipped  the  note  into 
his  hand. 

Gilbert  opened  it,  glanced  over  the  con- 
tents, and  tore  it  up.  "  How  did  you  come 
by  this?"  he  said,  sharply. 

"  I  found  it  under  your  window,  in  the 
path,"  said  his  protege;  "it  was  wet  and 
muddy,  and  had  been  out  all  night,  I  guess." 

"Have  you  shown  it  to  any  one?"  de- 
manded Gilbert. 

"No,"  said  Perry, — "no  one." 

"  Well,  I'm  much  obliged  to  you,"  said 
Gilbert,  in  a  kindlier  tone  ;  "  it  was  careless 
in  me  to  leave  it  lying  about  loose,  I  must 
confess,"  and  began  to  move  away. 

"Oh,  Gilbert !  "  cried  Perry  ;  "  just  wait 
a  min  —  " 

But  Gilbert  unloosed  his  hold,  with  a  half- 
smile  on  his  face  which  showed  plainly  he 


150  GILBERT   STARR. 

knew  what  his  protege  wanted  to  say,  and 
went  in  without  another  word.  Perry 
looked  after  him  in  despair.  Would  it  be 
best  to  tell  Mr.  Winterhalter,  and  have  the 
a  flair  nipped  in  the  bud?  Then  Gilbert 
would  be  disgraced,  and  would  hate  him  for- 
ever, he  thought.  Oh,  what  should  he  do? 
There  was  no  one  to  tell  him,  no  one  to  ask 
advice  of,  and  he  went  into  school  with  a 
troubled  heart.  It  seemed  as  if  the  minutes 
had  never  sped  so  swiftly.  Noon  came,  and 
Gilbert  avoided  him.  The  afternoon  session 
commenced,  and  still  he  hit  upon  no  plan, 
made  no  decision.  And  four  o'clock  came, 
and  school  was  over.  Oh,  Avhat  to  do? 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

SKCRMISHIXG. 

TITHE  sun  went  down  behind  Riverside  in 
•*-  a  great  cloud  of  glory.  The  roofs  and 
steeples  stood  up  warm  and  splendid  in 
the  glow  of  golden  color,  and  with  windows 
a  sparkle,  and  spires  aflame,  and  long  rays 
of  ruddy  light  striking  aslant  the  river,  the 
picture  was  brilliant  and  vivid.  Under  the 
shadow  of  the  hill  the -boatmen  cried,  and 
the  day's  bustle  had  hardly  begun  to  di- 
minish, but  rose  in  a  low,  steady  hum 
from  where  the  stevedores  were  tugging  at 
freights,  and  unloading  the  sloops  which 
had  come  up  on  the  lazy  tide. 


152  GILBERT    STARR. 

Perry  noted  all  this  sunset  splenuor,  but 
only  with  anxious  eyes.  Supper  hud  been 
over  half  an  hour,  but  he  was  quite  confident 
that  Gilbert  had  not  yet  gone.  At  the  sup- 
per-table he  hud  been  as  cool  and  quiet  as 
ever,  which  was -marvellous  in  Perry's  eyes, 
and  after  supper  he  had  disappeared  with 
Ray ;  but  such  close  watch  had  the  little  boy 
kept,  that  he  was  sure  his  friend  Avas  yet 
within  the  limits  of  the  school-grounds.  And 
he  was  right,  for  hardly  had  the  gold  color 
begun  to  dim  before  Gilbert  and  Ray  came 
round  the  piazza  corner,  where  Perry  sat, 
and  arm  in  arm  went  down  to  the  hedge 
gate.  There  they  lingered  to  whispe-r  and 
consult  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  Gilbert 
went  down  the  slope  alone,  and  Ray  re- 
mained in  the  gateway,  apparently  watching 
his  friend,  but,  as  Perry  quickly  suspected, 
in  reality  to  prevent  any  one  from  following. 
The  little  boy  gazed  at  the  manly  figure  till 


SKIRMISHING.  153 

it  was  hidden  by  the  grassy  slope,  and  then 
turned  away,  feeling  that  if  aught  was  to 
be  done,  it  must  bfc  done  quickly.  His  first 
impulse  was  to  run  to  Ray  and  plead  with 
him  to  call  Gilbert  back ;  but  though  some- 
what excited,  he  had  the  sense  to  remember 
that  it  would  be  the  foolishest  and  most 
reckless  thing  he  could  do,  for  if  Ray  once 
discovered  that  he  was  possessed  of  their 
secret,  he  would,  in  all  probability,  take  him 
into  custody,  and  thus  prevent  all  inter- 
ference. This  plan  being  rejected  almost 
as  soon  as  it  entered  his  mind,  his  next 
thought  was  of  Mr.  Winterhalter.  Should 
he  run  to  his  study  at  once,  and  disclose  the 
whole?  Now  in  every  school-boy's  heart 
there  is  a  certain  sense  of  meanness  connect- 
ed with  the  thought  of  disclosing  another's 
plans  and  actions,  even  if  wrong,  or  against 
good  rules.  Perhaps  Perry  shared  in  this. 
He  knew  that  the  fUrht,  and  all  connected 


154  GILBERT    STARR. 

with  it,  was  wrong,  and  that  Mr.  Winterhal- 
ter  ought  to  know  it ;  but  to  reveal  the  whole, 
and  bring  upon  himself  Gilbert's  indignation 
and  the  persecutions  of  the  whole  school, 
was.  naturally  more  than  he  felt  able  to  bear. 
This  plan  having  been  decided  against,  after 
much  wavering,  another  flashed  into  his  head 
which  seemed  so  impossible  at  first  that  it, 
too,  was  rejected.  But  the  minutes  were 
flitting  fast,  and  soon  it  would  be  too  late. 
Something  must  be  done  quickly,  and  back 
came  the  project  to  his  head  again,  this  time 
wildly  urging  itself  as  a  last  resort.  Fol- 
low Gilbert?  It  would  cause  his  protector's 
anger,  and  very  likely  make  him  an  enemy 
forever.  Oh,  what  to  do?  But  there  was 
just  the  least  faint  hope  that  if  he  followed 
his  friend,  it  would  hinder  him,  and  cause 
delay ;  perhaps  Gilbert  might  relent,  or 
turn  back ;  and  with  these  exceedingly 
visionary  expectations  in  his  brain,  he  sud- 


SKIRMISHING.  155 

tidily  got  up  and  formed  his  resolution.  He 
would  follow  Gilbert. 

Now  he  was  not  well  enough  acquainted 
with  the  town  to  know  where  Rainford 
bridge  spanned  the  river,  and  if  he  found 
the  appointed  place  of  meeting,  it  must  be 
by  keeping  Gilbert  in  sight ;  and  he  was 
out  of  sight  already.  Perry  left  the  piazza, 
and,  with  a  heart  beating  wildly  with  excite- 
ment and  apprehension,  prepared  to  com- 

• 

mence  his  pursuit.  Fortunately,  Ray,  who 
had  watched  Gilbert  out  of  sight,  now 
turned  away  and  left  the  hedge-gate  free. 
But  he  met  Perry  face  to  face,  and  asked, 
roughly, — 

"Where   are  you   going,  Master  Kent?" 

The  boy  moved  away  without  answering, 

and  Ray,  who  fancied  his  flushed  face  came 

from  fear   of  himself,   allowed  him  to  pass 

without  molestation,  or  another  thought  upon 


156  GILBERT    STARR. 

the  subject ;  and  so  he  went  through  the 
gate  and  was  free  to  follow. 

Oh,    how   green   the   grass    shone   in   the 
golden   light  which   struck  it   from  the  ra- 

» 

diant  sky,  and  how  the  swallows  wheeled 
over  in  chippering  clouds,  dark  against  the 
sky's  rich  stain !  But  there  was  only  a 
breath  to  think  of  it  in,  and  then  he  was 
running,  with  all  his  speed,  straight  to  the 
river's  edge.  He  gained  the  little  thread  of 
a  path,  and  paused  to  look  up  and  down  the 
wide,  wide  vista,  from  where  the  river  rolled 
cool  under  the  shadowy  hillside,  far  down 
to  the  waving  meadows,  where  it  flashed  out 
bright  and  blue  as  a  sapphire.  Not  a  figure 
but  his  own  on  that  side  the  river.  Then 
he  stopped  to  consider.  The  two  boarding- 
schools,  he  remembered,  were  nearly  at  the 
end  of  Kainford  town,  and  there  were  few 
houses  below  them ;  so,  in  all  probability,  the 
bridge  must  be  further  up,  toward  the  centre 


SKIRMISHING.  15-7 

of  business  and  travel.  Acting  upon  this 
thought,  he  began  to  run  up  the  narrow  path 
which  wound  among  the  rank  river-grasses 
and  stunted  willows  not  as  high  as  his  head, 
thinking  he  should  soon  overtake  Gilbert. 
But  Gilbert  had  the  start,  and  was  no  slow 
walker.  On  and  on  the  boy  ran,  giving  no 
heed  to  the  beautiful  sights  or  tender  sounds 
which  he  passed ;  seeing  not  how  gay  and 
bright  .Riverside  street,  on  the  opposite 
bank,  had  become  with  promeuaders  and 
loungers,  who  were  out  to  enjoy  the  fair 
evening  sights  and  the  fresh,  steady  sea- 
breeze  ;  failing  to  see  how  gayly-dressed 
boaters  were  launching  their  crafts  and  slow- 
ly dropping  down  stream,  with  the  bright- 
hued  shadows  of  their  costumes  trailing  in 
the  sea-green  water,  or,  with  slowly-plied 
oars,  which  threw  off  glittering  drops,  worked 
toward  the  town.  Neither  did  he  hear  the 
echo  of  their  merry  laughter,  nor  their  snatch- 


158  GILBERT    STARR. 

es  of  song,  the  cry  of  the  late-working  steve- 
dores, the  lazy  wash  of  ripples  on  the  peb- 
bles, the  low  sigh  of  the  wind  among  the 
grasses.  All  he  thought  of  was  Gilbert, — 
Gilbert  hurrying  to  tight !  and  so  pressed  on. 

Mean  while,  the  pursued,  little  dreaming 
of  a  pursuer,  walked  rapidly  before,  and  was 
as  little  conscious  of  the  clay's  dying  loveli- 
ness as  he  who  came  behind.  He  walked 
briskly,  never  stopping  to  look  back,  and 
anxious  to  meet  Forrest  according  to  ap- 
pointment. Now  was  his  a  blithe  heart, — 
cheerful,  light,  uuoppressed ?  No:  for  all 
that  long  walk  he  wras  saying  to  himself  as 
he  hurried  along,  whisking  off  the  tender 
willow  sprouts  writh  his  idle  hands, — 

"  Gilbert  Starr,  you're  a  slave,  and  the 
worst  of  it  is,  you've  just  found  it  out. 
You're  going  to  do  what  you  don't  want  to 
do,  what  you  know  is  wrong,  and  what  is 
against  Mr.  Winterhalter's  rules,  just  because 


SKIRMISHING.  159 

you're  head-boy  of  the  school,  and  controlled 
by  that  foolish  crowd  who  are  always  eager 
for  tights  and  excitement.  They  say  you  rule 
the  school,  but  it  isn't  so  ;  you're  just  a  poor 
slave  who  has  to  do  evil  at  the  bidding  of 
the  rest,  and  that's  the  plain  truth.  Oh," 
sighed  he,  as  he  hurried  on,  "  I  wish  I  had- 
n't found  this  out !  I  wish  I  didn't  know 
what  a  slave  I  am, — what  a  dishonorable,  de- 
ceitful fellow  !  Oh,  I'm  sick  of  it  all  I " 

Sick  of  it  all,  yet  without  the  courage  to 
turn  and  fight  the  evil, — to  take  a  bold, 
manly  stand,  and  declare  against  what  he 
knew  was  wrong,  and  despised  as  such.  This 
is  a  kind  of  cowardice  which  very  bold  school- 
boys sometimes  find  themselves  affected  with, 
and,  because  of  it,  Gilbert  Starr  was  obliged 
to  hurry  on  to  meet  his  rival. 

Mean  while,  Perry  had  pressed  on  till  Pro- 
fessor Roth's  school  began  to  dwindle  away 
into  insignificance  behind  him,  and  before 


160  GILBERT   STAER. 

him  the  blocks  of  town-buildings  rose  up 
against  the  sky.  He  stopped,  fearing  that 
in  his  haste  he  had  failed  to  discover  somt 
by-path  which  Gilbert  might  have  taken, 
However,  here  was  the  river  rippling  onward, 
and  no  bridge  spanning  it ;  so  it  was  plain 
that  the  place  of  destination  lay  yet  beyond. 
Another  rod,  and  the  path  took  a  sharp  turn 
and  led  up  a  little  ascent  toward  the  thor- 
oughfare of  Rainford,  and,  looking  sharply 
as  he  turned,  Perry  spied  Gilbert  in  the  act 
of  climbing  the  fence  which  shut  out  the 
street.  Breathless  with  his  long  run,  he  es- 
sayed to  shout,  "  Gilbert!"  but  the  result 
was  only  a  faint  cry,  which  failed  to  reach  his 
friend's  ears,  and  Gilbert  passed  over  the 
fence  and  disappeared. 

For  an  instant,  Perry  stood  motionless 
with  disappointment.  He  had  calculated 
upon  overtaking  his  friend  before  the  town 
was  reached.  Gilbert  was  well  used  to  all 


SKIRMISHING.  161 

the  lanes  and  by-streets,  and,  if  he  found 
himself  pursued,  could  easily  pass  out  of 
sight  and  reach  of  his  protege ;  and,  Perry 
thought,  the  crowded  street  was  no  place 
to  say  what  he  was  to  say  to  Gilbert.  To 
turn  back,  or  go  forward  ?  that  was  the 
question.  There  was  no  time  for  hesita- 
tion. He  turned  and  gave  one  look  at 
the  long,  shimmering  river-vista,  weltering 
in  its  profusion  of  sunset  dyes,  and,  after 
a  second  of  indecision,  went  on,  over  the 
fence,  and  into  Rainford  street.  There 
were  country-wagons  trundling  home  from 
market,  a  great  rumble  of  drays  and  lum- 
ber-wagons, but  few  people  on  the  side- 
walks ;  so  that  it  was  not  such  a  difficult 
matter  to  keep  Gilbert  in  view.  But  if  he 
should  happen  to  look  behind  !  Perry  fore- 
saw what  would  happen,  and  wisely  continued 
his  pursuit  from  behind  the  capacious  figure 

of  an  old  gentleman  who  chanced  to  be  go- 
11 


162  GILBERT    STARR. 

ing  in  the  same  direction,  and  screened  by 
this  ample  protection,  made  observations  tit 
hlf  leisure.  Presently  Gilbert  turned  off 
on  another  street,  which  ran  at  right  an- 
gles with  the  first,  and  here  Perry  was 
obliged  to  follow  at  his  peril,  for  the  old 
gentleman  kept  straight  on,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  shield  him  from  Gilbert's  eyes, 
should  he  chance  to  look  around.  But  Cap- 
tain Starr  had  other  thoughts  upon  his  mind, 
and  not  the  faintest  possible  suspicion  of  a 
pursuer ;  and  so,  in  a  short  time,  they  came 
out  where  there  was  a  great  reach  of  crim- 
son sky  beyond,  where,  again,  there  was  a 
glimpse  of  the  river  and  a  sound  of  its 
ripples  against  stone  piers.  Here  was  Rain- 
ford  bridge,  and  there,  leaning  idly  over  the 
rail  to  look  into  the  water,  was  a  figure 
which  Gilbert  walked  up  to  without  delay, 
and  touched  upon  the  shoulder.  When  it  " 
turned,  Perry  saw  that  it  was  Forrest.  Now 


MEETING   OF   THE   RIVAL    CAPTAIXS.     Page  102. 


SKIRMISHING.  163 

he  could  go  no  nearer  without  being  seen, 
and  not  daring  to  accost  Gilbert  then,  he 
hid  himself  behind  a  tree-trunk,  in  anxious 
waiting  for  what  was  to  follow.  The  rival 
captains  conversed  a  few  minutes,  and  then 
came  to  the  end  of  the  bridge,  went  over 
the  side  of  the  abutment,  and  disappeared. 
Had  they  jumped  into  the  river  ?  Perry 
wondered.  Where  had  they  gone?  He 
followed  cautiously,  and  peeped  over.  In- 
stead of  waves  and  ripples,  he  saw  that  the 
abutment  rested  upon  a  grassy  slope,  —  the 
brink  of  the  river.  From  this,  sprang  the 
curve  of  the  stone  arch,  and  under  its  shade 
and  secrecy  the  head-boys  had  gone  to  fight 
for  honor. 

As  ho  leaned  over,  Perry  could  hear  the 
faint  sound  of  their  voices,  and  in  an  agony 
of  apprehension  looked  about  him  for  some 
means  of  descending.  The  rivals  had  evi- 
dently gone  down  on  the  projecting  cor- 


164  '    GILBERT    ST^tflR. 

ners  of  stone-work ;  but  Perry  hardly  Lad 
the  strength  and  nerve  for  such  "an  under- 
taking. It  was  a  rough  place  for  a  fall,  and 
there  were  scattered  bits  of  rock  at  the  base  ; 
so  that  he  now  seemed  as  far  from  the  ac- 
complishment of  his  object  as  ever.  He 
leaned  far  over,  waiting,  anxious,  listening 
fearfully  for  the  sound  of  blows.  People 
came  over  on  the  bridge,  and  as  they  passed 
wondered  what  that  little  red-faced,  tired- 
looking  boy  was  listening  to  ;  and  one  moth- 
erly old  lady,  coming  home  from  a  tea-party, 
with  work-bag  and  umbrella,  threw  up  her 
hands  in  alarm,  and  cautioned  him  against 
losing  his  balance  and  breaking  his  neck. 
There  was  such  a  long  silence  of  the  two 
voices,  and  the  river  grated  so  noisily  on  its 
pebbles,  that  Perry  could  bear  the  suspense 
no  longer.  He  waited  till  there  was  no  one 
coming  across  the  bridge,  then  clambered 
over  the  abutment.  Clinging  to  the  jagged 


SKIRMISHING.  1G5 

edge  with  both  hands,  stepping  from  frag- 
ment to  fragment,  bumping  his  chin,  scratch- 
ing his  face,  tearing  his  jacket,  and,  toward 
the  last,  making  a  misstep  and  falling  heav- 
ily, he  got  to  the  ground  at  last,  almost 
breathless.  Then,  without  waiting  to  consid- 
er, or  to  think  of  the  consequences,  he  ran 
under  the  arch,  saw  blows  dealt  by  each, 
and,  without  waiting  to  see  more,  threw 
himself  upon  Gilbert,  clinging  to  him  with 
all  his  strength. 

"  Perry  Kent ! "  cried  Gilbert,  almost  pet- 
rified with  astonishment,  and  could  hardly 
believe  his  eyes. 

"  Oh — stop  —  stop,  Gilbert!"  was  all  the 
breathless  boy  could  utter. 

Of  course  the  combatants  ceased  hostili- 
ties, being,  each  of  them,  startled  into  an 
armistice  by  this  sudden  apparition.  Gil- 
bert was  the  first  to  find  his  tongue. 

"Where    on   earth  did  you  drop  from?" 


166  GILBERT    STARR. 

he  said,  looking  at  Perry,  and  then  up  at 
the  great  arch  above  them,  as  if  he  expected 
to  see  the  hole  where  he  had  fallen  througL. 

"I  followed  you;  I  knew  you  were  go- 
ing to  —  to — fight,"  gasped  Perry,  "and — - 
and  I  thought —  Oh,  Gilbert!"  and  here 
he  came  very  near  bursting  into  tears. 

Gilbert  was  touched.  Why  had  this  lit- 
tle fellow  followed  him  such  a  long,  long 
distance,  risking  his  neck  and  limbs  and  al- 
most his  life,  to  prevent  him  from  fighting? 
Did  he  deserve  such  devotion?  So  it  hap- 
pened that  he  was  quite  disarmed  of  the 
harsh  words  which  it  was  his  first  impulse 
to  shower  upon,  his  protege's  head,  but 
said ,  reproachfully ,  — 

"  Now,  Perry,  you're  too  bad  to  trouble 
me  in  this  way.  Don't  you  see,  you've  al- 
most killed  yourself  with  running,  and  you'll 
be  sick  for  it,  and  then  the  whole  affair  will 


SKIRMISHING.  1G7 

have  to  come  out?  Did  you  mean  to  get  me 
disgraced?" 

Perry's  only  answer  was  a  tighter  clasp 
about  his  protector. 

Gilbert  was  silent,  biting  his  lips  with  an- 
ger at  the  interruption,  yet  puzzled  and  soft- 
ened by  the  proof  of  such  love  and  attach- 
ment. He  looked  up  at  his  opponent. 

Forrest  had  looked  on  with  astonishment 
at  first,  then  with  a  scornful  face ;  but  now, 
as  their  eyes  met,  he  was  regarding  Gilbert 
with  a  look  which  seemed  to  say,  "  I  wonder 
if  you're  the  same  Gilbert  Starr  who  was  try- 
ing to  batter  my  face  a  few  minutes  ago?" 

Gilbert  looked  down,  and  tried  to  make 
himself  angry  again,  and  rouse  his  passion 
sufficiently  to  cast  Perry  oif  and  fight  for 
the  honor  of  his  school.  But  he  made  but 
poor  work  of  it.  He  did  not  feel  particularly 
vengeful  toward  any  one,  and  the  honor 
of  the  school  seemed  a  somewhat  confused 


108  GILBERT    STARK. 

and  misty  excuse  for  a  fight,  just  theu;  and 
he  even  debated  within  himself  whether  it 
were  not  a  possible  matter  to  stand  up,  at 
once,  and  come  out  against  the  whole  round 
of  practices  which  he  was  beginning  so  to 
hate. 

What  good  resolve  he  might  have  made 
in  this  softened  mood  was  suddenly  dashed 
to  pieces  by  Forrest,  who  picked  up  his  hat 
from  oft'  the  grass,  saying,  with  a  curl  of  his 
lips,  "'I  suppose  I  may  consider  myself  at 
liberty  to  leave,  now.  The  honor -of  Rain- 
ford  school  is  vindicated,  I  presume.  Your 
prowess  —  " 

Gilbert    slowly   straightened   himself    up, 
whispering  to  Perry,  "  Let  go  of  me,  little 
chap,    and    run   home.     I've   got    to    fight 
Run  home,  I  say, — there's  a  good  fellow." 

But  Perry  had  no  intention  of  releasing 
his  hold  so  long  as  there  was  the  least  hope 
of  stopping  hostilities,  and  replied,  "  Oli, 


SKIKMISII I XG .  109 

don't  mind  what  he  says,  Gilbert !  Let 
him  go,  and  don't  listen,  and  oh,  Gilbert, 
come  home  with  me ! " 

:f  Yes,  better  go  home  with  him,"  said 
Forrest,  lightly ;  "  I  advise  you  to." 

Gilbert's  eyes  flashed,  and  he  stood  up 
tall  and  straight,  with  his  protege  clinging 
to  him,  saying,  "  You  won't  go  home  yet, 
Forrest." 

"  All  right,"  said  his  rival,  tossing  his  hat 
back  upon  the  grass,  "I'm  at  your  service," 
and  stood  there,  looking  cool  and  impudent. 

"  Oh,  do,  do  come  home,  Gilbert !"  Perry 
begged ;  "let  him  call  you  a  coward  or  any- 
thing,—  it  ain't  worth  minding.  It's  more 
cowardly  to  stay  and  fight." 

Gilbert  believed  him  in  his  secret  heart, 
but  said,  "  I'm  not  going  home  yet,  but 
you  shall  go,  Perry.  I  tell  you  you  must! 
Don't  you  say  another  word,  but  go  straight 
home  and  stay  there.  If  you  refuse,  I'll 


170  GILBERT   STARR. 

never  forgive  you  nor  speak  to  you  again. 
Why,  child,  you  never  saw  a  fight  in  your 
life!  Go  home,  go  home!  —  Perry  Kent, 
go  home!"  Gilbert  was  in  earnest. 

Perry  turned  away  with  a  smothered  sob. 
He  never  distinctly  remembered  climbing 
the  steep  abutment,  nor  the  run  through 
Rainford  streets,  nor  anything,  in  fact,  till 
he  found  himself  once  more  in  the  river 
meadows,  where  all  the  golden  color  had 
faded  into  sombre  gray ;  where  the  sobbing 
of  the  river  in  the  grass  was  mournful,  the 
chirping  swallows  gone,  the  wind  sighing 
heavily,  and  great  fireflies  flashing  across 
his  path,  waving,  sailing,  rising  high  over 
his  head,  and  when  he  was  once  there,  run- 
ning toward  home  as  if  for  dear  life.  He 
was  not  at  all  undecided,  now,  what  to  do. 


CHAPTER    IX. 

WHO   VANQUISHED   THE    FOES. 

A  LITTLE  later,  the  door  of  Mr.  Win- 
*•*•  terhalter's  study  flew  open,  and  in 
rushed  a  breathless  figure.  It  burst  in  upon 
them  so  suddenly,  and  with  so  little  warn- 
ing, that  the  worthy  couple  who  were  sitting 
there  started  to  their  feet  in  surprise,  Mrs. 
Winterhalter  upsetting  her  work-basket,  and 
sending  a  shower  of  spools  over  the  floor. 
"  Now  !  —  who  ? — what  —  why,  it's  Perry 
Kent,  Mr.  Winterhalter ! "  she  exclaimed, 
throwing  up  her  hands  to  emphasize  her 
astonishment.  "Now  something's  happened, 
I'll  Avarrant.  Do  you  see,  he's  out  of 


172  GILBERT    STARR. 

breath  and  ready  to  drop  down?  Why,  my 
little  fellow,"  going  up  to  Perry,  and  put- 
ting her  motherly  arms  about  him,  "  have 
those  naughty  boys  been  tormenting  you 
again?" 

"  Yes,"  said  Mr.  Winterhalter,  leaving 
his  papers,  "  what's  happened,  my  little 
fellow?" 

"  Oh,"  cried  Perry,  as  soon  as  he  could 
get  breath  enough  for  the  purpose,  "  Gilbert 
is  —  is  fighting  —  Forrest !  " 

"Gilbert  Starr?"  said  Mr.  Winterhalter, 
looking  incredulous. 

"  Yes  —  Gilbert — Forrest !"  gasped  Perry, 
with  his  second  breath. 

"Gilbert  Forrest?"  said  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter, who  .was  somewhat  excited;  "why, 
there's  no  such  boy  in  — " 

"  Gilbert  and  Forrest,  my  dear,"  said 
the  Principal,  who  began  to  comprehend  the 
whole.  "  Now  tell  me  where  they  are,  Perry, 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     173 

and  bring  me  my  hat,  if  you  please,  Mrs. 
Winterhalter." 

Perry  made  but  to  tell  Mr.  Winterhalter 
where  the  combatants  were  secreted,  and 
then  that  gentleman  hurried  away,  leaving 
the  boy  in  his  study.  Mrs.  Winterhalter 
put  him  into  the  easy-chair,  which  her  hus- 
band had  just  vacated,  and  went  about  look- 
ing for  her  spools,  taking  sly  looks  at 
Perry's  face  meanwhile.  When  she  had 
restored  her  treasures  to  their  former  or- 
derly condition,  and  taken  up  her  basket 
of  mending,  she  exclaimed,  — 

"Dear  me,  what  trouble  boys  do  make! 
Likely  enough  Mr.  Winterhalter  will  take 
his  death  of  cold,  going  off  to  that  damp 
river.  And  Gilbert  Starr,  just  think  !  —  our 
head-boy  fighting  with  the  Professor's,  when 
it's  against  *11  the  rules.  Dear,  dear !  I 
don't  know,  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what 
Gilbert  can  be  thinking  of." 


174  GILBERT    STARR. 

She  took  a  quiet  observation  of  Perry's 
face,  and  decided  that  it  would  not  do  to 
ask  him  any  questions  yet,  and  so  continued 
her  soliloquy,  the  inotherliness  in  her  heart 
brimming  over  into  a  smile  upon  her  kind 
face  as  she  said,  "  Boys  will  be  bo}7s, 
always,  I  suppose,  and  they  aren't  half  so 
bad  as  they  pretend ;  but  for  our  Gilbert  to 
go  oif  to  that  old  bridge  to  fight,  really,  it  — 
I  don't  know  what  Mr.  Wiaterhalter  will 
do  to  him.  He's  so — " 

"Oh!"  Perry  interrupted,  anxiously,  "do 
you  think  —  will  —  will  he  punish  Gilbert  ?" 

"There,  there,  don't  worry,"  said  the 
good  lady,  kindly ;  "  I  didn't  say  he'd  punish 
Gilbert.  I  don't  know  anything  about  it, 
you  know.  Mr.  Winterhalter  is  dreadful 
set  against  fighting,  as  he  ought  to  be,  I 
think,  and  Gilbert  sets  an  example  for  the 
rest.  Now,  dear,  perhaps  you  won't  mind 


WHO   VANQUISHED   THE   FOES.  175 

telling  ine  how  you  came  to  find  out  about 
the  affair." 

Perry  revealed  the  whole,  encouraged, 
whenever  he  faltered,  by  the  good  lady's 
kind  tones  ;  and  before  he  could  quite  finish, 
down  went  needles  and  mending,  and  Mrs. 
"Winterhalter  got  up. 

'You  poor,  tired-out  child!"  said  she, 
coming  up  to  Perry,  and  smoothing  back 
his  hair ;  "  you've  run  clear  to  Kaiuford 
bridge  and  back,  to-night !  And  here,  if  I 
can  believe  my  eyes,  your  chin  is  scratched 
and  bleeding,  and  your  hands  —  fie !  I 
really  don't  believe  Gilbert  Starr  deserves 
so  much.  "Well,  I  don't  wonder  you're  out 
of  breath,  poor  boy.  Here,  let  me  look  at 
your  face,  dear;"  and  with  that,  Perry  had 
to  undergo  all  sorts  of  soothing  care,  which 
was  not  ungrateful  in  his  wearied  slate. 
'  There  ! "  when  she  had  done,  "  now  don't 
you  worry  another  bit.  Mr.  Winterhalter 


176  GILBERT   STARR. 

will  separate  them,  I'll  warrant;  and  besides, 
it's  getting  too  dark  to  fight.  If  Gilbert  per- 
sists in  being  such  a  naughty  boy,  I  shall 
have  to  talk  to  him  myself.  Why,  dear, 
it's  a  shame  that  he  didn't  bring  you  home 
after  such  a  long  chase  !  But  that's  the 
way  with  boys,  they  don't  think ;  if  they 
did,  they  would  be  difierent  creatures  many 
a  time.  Mr.  Winterhaltcr  has  had  hundreds 
of  boys  here,  in  his  day,  and  there  were  but 
precious  few  of  them  that  I  couldn't  find 
something  to  love  in," — Perry  could  well 
believe  that,  — "  and  when  I  see  a  smart, 
noble  fellow  like  Gilbert,  that  has  almost  as 
much  to  do  with  governing  the  boys  as  ]\Ir. 
AVinterhalter  himself,  I  think,  —  well,  it's  not 
much  wonder  if  he  docs  get  astray,  and  .self- 
ish, perhaps,  with  so  many  to  honor  and 
praise  him.  But  wait  a  while  and  you'll  sec. 
If  there's  the  right  material  in  him,  God 
helping,  he'll  make  a  man  to  look  up  to. 


VjKO   VANQUISHED   THE   FOES.  177 

Now,  dear,  I  won't  tire  you  to  death  with 
my  long  talk,  but  let  me  ask  one  more  ques- 
tion. Did  Gilbert  drive  you  away?" 

Perry's  grieved  face  was  a  sufficient  an- 
swer, and  the  good  lady  said,  cheerily  and 
briskly,  — 

"  There,  I  suspected  it  all  the  time.  Now 
don't  worry ;  he'll  like  you  as  well  as  ever 
to-morrow  morning ;  I  promise  you  he  shall. 
And  now,  hadn't  you  better  go  to  bed,  dear? 

There's  no   telling   when   Mr.    Winterhalter 

» 
will   get   back ;     and    you're   so   tired   that 

you're  head  droops.  Come  with  me  and 
have  a  glass  of  milk,  aud  then  go  up  to  your 
room.  It's  almost  time  for  the  last  bell  to 
ring." 

The  last  bell  did  ring  while  they  were  in 
Mrs.  Winterhalter's  parlor,  and  Perry  heard 
the  rush  of  feet  up  the  stairs,  and  after  hav- 
ing his  glass  of  milk,  started  to  go  too.  The 

kind  lady  bent  over  and  kissed  him,  as  she 
12 


178  GILBERT    STARR.  ^ 

bade  him  good-night,  and  he  had  to  hurry 
away  as  fast  as  possible  to  hide  his  tears,  — 
the  kiss  was  so  like  mamma's,  —  she  calling 
after  him,  — 

"  Go  straight  to  sleep,  and  not  lie  awake 
to  think  of  what  has  happened." 

When  Perry  got  up-stairs,  he  found  all  the 
first  class  there, — of  course  excepting  Gil- 
bert,—  they  having  just  come  in. 

"  Hello  !  here's  the  little  lamb,"  said  Tom 
Fowler,  as  he  entered ;  "  why,  what  late 
hours  you  keep,  little  lambkin  !  'Pears  to.  me 
you're  getting  worse  and  worse.  We  must 
institute  a  committee  of  investigation  straight 
off.  Can't  allow  such  irregularities,  —  no, 
sir  !  —  it's  against  our  principles." 
*  Perry  was  accustomed  to  this  railing,  in 
Gilbert's  absence,  and  having  other  thoughts 
to  fill  his  mind,  paid  very  little  attention  to 

it. 

• 

Tom  made  a  few  more  remarks,  at  which 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     179 

his  fellows  laughed,  and  then  left  Perry  in 
peace,  Ray  Hunter  having  said  to  him,  — 

:t  Take  care,  Fowler,  and  not  hit  too  hard ; 
you  know  I  consider  Gilbert's  affairs  the 
same  as  mine,  when  he's  away;"  and  Gil- 
bert's name  being  mentioned,  the  whole  class 
fell  to  talking  about  him. 

The  little  boy  took  off  his  clothes,  and 
knelt  down  in  the  shadow  of  his  corner  to 
pray.  It  seemed  to  him  the  words  had 
never  crowded  so  fast  to  his  lips  before,  nor 
in  -his  heart,  with  such  longing  for  God's 
pity  and  help,  such  hope  that  he  would 
soften  Gilbert's  heart  and  make  it  an  humble 
one,  such  yearning  for  the  dear  friend  whom 
he  had  estranged.  He  laid  his  head  upon 
the  pillow,  sighing  heavily,  and  almost  ready 
to  cry  when  he  thought  of  Gilbert  as  an  en- 
emy. He  was  quite  confident  that  he  would 
never  forgive  him  for  exposing  the  fight  to 
Mr.  Winterhalter,  and  with  him  for  an  en- 


180  GILBERT    STARR. 

emy,  and  the  rest  such  persecutors,  what 
would  school  be?  True,  Mrs.  Winterhalter 
had  promised  that  Gilbert  should  like  him 
as  well  as  ever ;  but  how  was  it  possible  for 
her  to  compass  that  ?  Perhaps  the  little  boy 
had  never  known  how  much  he  loved  and 
leaned  upon  his  protector,  or  to  what  a  great 
extent  he  had  depended  upon  him  for  happi- 
ness ;  and  now  that  this  friend  was  to  be  an 
enemy,  the  sudden  change  brought  back  the 
same  loneliness  which  he  had  experienced 
when  he  came  to  Rainford  with  a  fresh  grief 
in  his  heart.  He  almost  repented  having 
told  Mr.  Winterhalter ;  then  he  resolved  that 
it  was  right,  and  he  \vould  be  glad ;  then, 
again,  he  was  plunged  into  the  depths  of 
sorrow,  and  wept  with  his  face  in  the  pillow. 
By  and  by  he  remembered  Mrs.  Winterhal- 
ter's  injunction  to  "  go  straight  to  sleep," 
and  tried  to  follow  it ;  but  this  he  found  t* 
be  of  no  use,  and  so  composed  himself  to 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.      181 

wait  Gilbert's  appearance  with  a  trembling 
heart.  And  just  here  he  became  conscious 
of  what  Albert  Turner  and  the  rest  were 
talking  about. 

"  It  looks  rather  strange,"  the  secretary  • 
of  the  Boat  Club  had  said,  "that  Gilbert 
should  have  held  back  so  about  *  fighting. 
Why,  I've  known  him  fight  just  because  one 
of  Roth's  boys  chose  to  call  our  school  a  set 
of '  grannies,'  and  you'll  all  allow  that  it  was 
nothing,  compared  with  the  insult  Forrest 
gave  us." 

Et  He  was  anxious  enough  to  fight  at  first," 
said  Bob  Upham;  "but  he -cooled  dowu 
wonderfully  sudden.  What  the  reason  was 
I  don't  pretend  to  know." 

"  He  isn't  the  same  fellow  he  used  to  be," 
said  Barry  White,  decisively, — "  not  half  the 
spirit  in  him,  I  think  !  " 

"I  wouldn't  be  surprised  to  see  some  one 


182  GILBERT    STARR. 

else  in  his  place  as  head-boy,  captain,  and 
all  that,"  said  Torn  Fowler. 

Gilbert's  friend,  Ray,  could  bear  it  no 
longer.  "  Oh,  shame  on  you  all !  "  he  cried 
out ;  "  Tom  Fowler,  you're  a  traitor  to  your 
Captain  !  Barry  White,  Gilbert's  got  more 
spirit  in  one  of  his  eyelashes  than  you've 
got  in  your  whole  body,  and  as  for  Bob,  his 
opinions  never  hurt  a  mosquito  that  I  heard 
of.  Now  I  know  Gilbert  as  well  as  any 
of  you,  and  I  say  he's  just  as  much  fit  to  be 
head-boy  and  rule  us  all  as  ever  he  was ! 
To  be  sure,  he  did  hold  back  from  the  fight, 
and  he  wouldn't  tell  his  reasons,  but  you'd 
all  of  you  make  a  pretty  fuss,  I  guess,  if 
you  couldn't  have  your  private  opinions 
without  being  blamed  for  it.  You  know 
you  would  !  and  if  I  were  Gilbert,  I'd  stick 
to  'em  till  death  for  no  other  reason." 

"  Whew  I  "  said  Tom,  "  Ray  is   a  perfect 


WHO    VANQUISHED   THE    FOES.  183 

spitfire.  Go  in,  my  dear,  I  like  to  hear 
you." 

"  I  sha'ii't  •  '  go  in,'"  said  Ray,  "  for  Gil- 
bert don't  need  it.  He's  able  to  fight  his 
own  battles ;  but  I  won't  hear  him  talked 
::. gainst  behind  his  back.  No.  more  would 
you,  if  he  were  your  friend." 

rt  He  is  my  friend,  I  guess,"  said  Tom ; 
"  I'd  like  to  see  the  fellow  that  Avould  dare 
say  he  wasn't."  • 

"  Of  course,"  said  Bob  Uphaui,  "  we  all 
acknowledge  him  for  a  leader,  and  a  friend, 
too,  as  for  that  matter." 

And  ere  long  they  all  had  avowed  pretty 
much  the  same  thing.  Perry  listened  to  this 
wrangling  among  the  Boat  Club,  and  rejoiced 
to  hear  that  Gilbert  had  been  averse  to  the 
fight.  He  was  pretty  sure  that  there  would 
have  been  no  fight  at  all,  could  his  friend 
have  had  the  courage  to  have  stood  out 
against  the  importunities  of  his  friends. 


184  GILBEKT    STAKR. 

These  disputes   between  members  of  the 
Club   were  no   rare  occurrence.     Indeed,   it 

• 

seemed  to  be  as  Tom  Fowler  said,  '*  the 
more  they  quarrelled,  the  better  they  liked 
each  other,"  and  the  wranglers  seldom  got 
farther  than  words.  Now,  one  by  one,  they 
had  got  into  bed,  and  the  room  grew  silent, 
save  a  word  now  and  then  which  showed 
they  were  all  awake,  and  apparently  wait- 
ing some  one's  return.  They  little  imagined 
that  the  boy  in  the  corner  knew  who  it  was, 
or  that  he  waited  for  the  sound  of  footsteps 
on  the  stairs  quite  as  eagerly  as  the  rest  of 
them.  The  windows  were  open,  and  the 
night-breeze  came  in,  flaring  the  lamp-flame 
and  causing  it  to  shoot  grotesque  shadows 
over  the  ceiling  and  wall,  and  such  a  silence 
had  fallen  over  the  house  that  it  almost 
seemed  as  if  the  river's  low  ripple  could  be 
heard. 

About  this  time  two  figures  came  up  the 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     185 

lawn  from  the  river.  They  were  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter  and  Gilbert  Starr.  They  were  talk- 
ing in  low  tones  as  they  came  into  the  school- 
grounds, —  the  Principal  very  earnestly,  Gil- 
bert quite  in  his  usual  voice.  They  went 
in  at  the  front-door,  under  the  piazza,,  and 
into  the  brightly-lighted  study.  Mrs.  Win- 
tcrhalter  looked  up  with  a  pleasant  smile, 
and  placed  a  chair  for  Gilbert. 

"  Some  milk,  if  you  please,"  said  the  Prin- 
cipal, in  his  usual  kind  tone ;  "  we've  had 
a  long  walk,  and  Gilbert  must  be  even  more 
thirsty  than  myself.  Stop ! "  as  his  wife 
rose,  "  I'll  go  and  get  it  myself,  and  we'll 
have  it  here  by  ourselves  in  the  study.  .  Sit 
clown,  sit  down,  Gilbert;  I'll  be  back  pres- 
ently." 

Not  a  word  of  reproach  in  his  tone ;  it 
seemed  even  more  genial  and  friendly  than 
usual.  So  Gilbert  was  fain  to  sit  down  in 
the  easy-chair  by  Mrs.  Winterhalter's  basket 


186  GILBERT    STARR. 

of  mending,  and  that  good  lady  passed  away 
the  time  very  pleasantly  till  her  husband 
came  back  with  the  milk-pitcher  and  tum- 
blers. She  made  Gilbert  drink  of  the  bever- 
age till  he  could  drink  no  more,  x.  'ide  no 
allusion  to  his  transgression,  save  by  anx- 
iously inquiring  if  he  were  hurt,  and  then 
asked  him  to  stay  to  prayers.  This  last 
request  startled  him  a  little,  but  he  acqui- 
esced, and,  for  the  first  time  in  his  life, 
heard  a  prayer  offered  directly  for  himself. 
It  was  not  such  a  prayer  as  the  Pharisee 
made,  thanking  God  that  he  was  not  as  other 
men,  but  tender  and  hopeful,  asking  God 
to  give  their  head-boy  strength  and  grace 
to  walk  uprightly,  a  pure  heart,  that  he  might 
love  the  Right,  a  good  influence,  that  his 
rule  might  shelter  no.  evil  and  forward  no 
wrong.  Then  they  let  him  go,  with  a  kind 
good-night,  Mrs.  Wiuterhalter  following 
him  into  the  hall  to  whisper,  "  Gilbert, 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     187 

there's  a  little  boy  up-stairs  whom  a  kind 
word  would  make  wonderfully  happy." 

The  first  class  heard  steps  on  the  stairs, 
and  immediately  every  head  in  the  room 
was  raised,  save  Perry's,  and  as  many 
pairs  of  eyes  were  bent  upon  the  door. 
Gilbert  came  in,  —  smiling,  when  he  found 
them  all  looking  at  him. 

"  Well ! "  came  impatiently  from  Tom 
Fowler's  lips. 

"  Don't  keep  us  a  minute  in  suspense  !  " 
cried  White ;  while  Ray  exclaimed,  "  Oh, 
Gilbert!  he  hasn't  whipped  you?" 

"  No,"  said  Gilbert,  coolly,  sitting  down 
to  take  off  his  shoes,  "  neither  of  us  whipped 
the  other.  Mr.  Wiuterhalter  interfered." 

Perry's  heart,  you  may  be  sure,  was 
making  wild  beats  all  this  time.  A  low 
cry  of  dismay  went  from  lip  to  lip  at  this 
disclosure.  No  one  had  imagined  such  a 
turn  of  affairs. 


188  GILBERT    STARR. 

" Winterhalter  interfered?"  cried  Tom, 
who  was  the  first  to  recover  his  speech ; 
"  why,  how  could  that  be?  Not  a  soul  but 
those  in  this  room  knew  of  the  affair ! " 

'*  There's  a  traitor  somewhere,"  said  Ray, 
fiercely,  "  and  I'd  just  like  to  find  him  ! " 

At  this  all  the  Boat  Club  swore  upon  their 
honor  that  they  were  not  the  guilty  party. 

"But,"  demanded  Ray,  "who  else  can 
it  be  ?  No  one  out  of  the  Club  knew  that 

a  meeting  had  been  appointed,  or  a  time  set. 

•  • 
It  must  be  one  of  us !     Who  could  it  have 

been,  Gilbert?" 

At  this  juncture  Perry  held  his  breath, 
expecting  to  hear  his  name  disclosed,  and 
bitterly  denounced.  He  knew  that,  if  it 
were,  he  might  expect  little  peace  that 
night. 

"Well,"  said  Gilbert,  "it's  too  late  to 
talk  of  the  traitor  now.  The  affair  is  all 
over.  Mr.  Winterhalter  came  in  upon  us, 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     180 

and  stepped  between,  and  Forrest  and  I 
had  to  shake  hands  and  promise  peace  on 
our  honor.  So  we're  under  bonds,  you 
see.  And  Ray,  old  fellow,  don't  ask  any 
more  questions  to-night,  for  I'm  too  tired 
to  answer." 

"  Wait,  — just  one  more,"  said  Tom.  "  Is 
Winterhalter  awfully  stirred  up  about  it?" 

"Yes,  are  you  going  to  be  suspended?" 
said  Albert  Turner. 

"  Pshaw  !  "  interrupted  Ray,  "  of  course 
he  isn't.  If  he  has  to  leave  school,  I'll 
go  too!" 

"  Let  him  answer  our  question,"  grum- 
bled Tom. 

"  Well,"  said  Gilbert,  "  Mr.  Winterhalter 
and  I  had  a  talk,  coming  home,  and  he  said 
J  was  not  to  be  punished.  That'f)  all  I 
know  about  it ;  so  go  to  sleep,  the  whole  of 
you ! " 

Perry  drew  a  sigh  of  relief,   and  said  to 


190  GILBERT    STARR. 

himself,  "  He's  too  big-hearted  to  tell 
them  about  me  and  let  them  torment  me : 
but  oh  !  I  know  he'll  never  speak  to  me  as 
long  as  he  lives." 

Pretty  soon  the  lamp  was  extinguished, 
and  the  boys  began  to  breathe  heavily  in 
slumber.  Perry,  with  a  heavy  heart,  was 
about  to  turn  his  face  toward  the  wall  and 
obey  Mrs.  Winterhalter's  injunction  at  last, 
when  a  soft  stir  beside  his  bed  caught  his 
attention.  Then,  close  beside  his  face,  a 
dear  voice  whispered,  "  Perry,  are  you 
asleep?" 

"Oh,  Gilbert!"  the  boy  almost  cried 
aloud,  and  put  out  his  hands  and  found  the 
speaker's  own. 

"Hush!"  said  the  voice,  "or  the  rest 
will  hear.  Now  —  I  thought  that  —  that 
perhaps  you  would  think  me  angry  with 
you,  after  what  had  hap  — " 

"  I   did,    I   did ! "    interrupted    the   boy 'a 


WHO  VANQUISHED  THE  FOES.     191 

voice,  tremblingly,  "and,  oh,  Gilbert,  aren't 
you?" 

'  Not  ^the  least,  you  foolish  little  fellow. 
I  don't  like  tell-tales,  but  —  I  like  you. 
Now  go  to  sleep,  and  forget  what  has  hap- 
pened. But  wait  and  tell  me,  you  queer 
little  chick,  what  you  took  such  a  race  and 
such  a  risk  for  to-night  ?  Why,  if  the  boys 
knew,  they  would  almost  tear  you  to 
pieces." 

"  It  was  —  for  you." 

There  was  a  long  silence  in  which  Gilbert 
held  the  little  boy's  hands  in  his,  or  rather 
let  them  lie  where  they  had  placed  them- 
selves, and  then  he  turned  away  without 
another  word,  save  a  soft  "  Good-night." 
And,  to  quote  Mrs.  "VVinterhalter,  a  little 
boy  went  to  sleep  "  wonderfully  happy." 


CHAPTER    X. 

A   TROUBLE    APPEARS. 

rilO  everybody's  surprise,  Gilbert  Starr  was 
•*•  not  punished.  Neither  did  Mr.  Winter- 
halter  seem  to  take  any  notice  of  the  occur- 
rence, and  this  was  the  greatest  mystery  of 
all.  Only  Gilbert  knew  what  had  passed 
between  them  on  their 'homeward  walk,  and 
he  revealed  nothing. 

It  took  but  a  few  hours  for  the  news  of 
the  occurrence  to  reach  every  car  in  school, 
and  then  there  was  a  great  commotion. 

Captain  Starr  rose  at  once  in  the  esti- 
mation of  his  followers,  and  was  never  so 
popular  as  now ;  but  the  question  on  every 
lip  was,  "Who  could  the  traitor  be?" 


A   TROUBLE    APPEARS.  193 

"  Only  let  us  get  hold  of  him ! "  said 
Sam  Copp ;  "  we'll  teach  the  villain  to  inter- 
fere with  our  business  !  "  and  this  was  the 
sentiment  of  the  whole  school.  The  lower 
classes,  of  which  Rufe  Fitch  headed  one 
and  Copp  the  other,  laid  the  charge  of 
treason  at  the  door  of  the  first  class,  and 
the  Boat  Club,  augered  at  the  suspicion,  yet 
unable  to  refute  it,  secretly  set  Eay  Hunter 
to  investigating  the  matter.  As  yet,  no  one 
suspected  Perry  Kent.  The  improbability 
of  his  being  connected  with  any  such  affair, 
prevented  the  least  suspicion  from  attaching 
to  him.  Why,  even  shrewd  Rufe  Fitch 
would  have  sooner  brought  the  charge 
against  any  other  boy  in  school  than  against 
"  that  baby-faced  thing,"  as  he  termed  Cap- 
tain Starr's  protege,  —  such  a  charge  would 
have  been  so  utterly  ridiculous  in  every- 
body's eyes. 

It  would  .almost  seem  that  Gilbert  Starr 
13 


194  GILBERT    STARR. 

might  now  have  the  courage  and  resolution 
to  make  a  stand  against  the  evil  which  he 
wished  to  combat.  Mr.  Winterhaltcr's 
leniency  reproached  him,  —  how  much,  he 
would  have  revealed  to  no  one,  —  and  the 
memoiy  of  his  prayer  haunted  him.  But, 
to  counteract  these  good  influences,  there 
was  Gilbert's  high,  strong  pride,  which  was 
gratified  by  his  rule  and  sway  over  the 
school ;  and  how  could  he  endure  to  lose 
it?  —  for  lose  it  he  must,  the  instant  he  dared 
to  oppose  any  habit  or  caprice  of  his  follow- 
ers. And  there  was  Ray  Hunter,  who  had 
more  influence  over  him  than  any  boy  in 
school,  hardly  excepting  Perry  Kent,  and 
this  friend  of  the  Captain  used  all  his  influ- 
ence to  keep  him  in  the  same  old  paths, 
piotesting,  entreating,  if  Gilbert  swerved 
but  a  hair's-breadth  from  old  practices. 

And  so  day  after  day  went  by,  and  found 
him  yet   countenancing    those  things   which 


A   TROUBLE    APPEAES.  195 

his  heart  rebelled  against,  because  he  had 
not  the  courage  to  lose  his  high  position  and 
take  an  humbler  one ;  because  his  friends 
would  desert  him,  and  he  could  not  bear  the 
thought  of  such  a  loss ;  because  he  knew 
that  the  whole  school  would  sit  in  judg- 
ment and  declare  him  a  weak,  unmanly, 
soft-hearted  fellow  for  wanting  to  be  a  bet- 
ter one,  and  such  a  branci  was  more  than 
he  could  or  would  bear.  If  he  could  not 
be  .better  without  being  unmanly,  he  would 
rather  keep  in  his  old  ways,  he  thought ;  and 
whether  manliness  and  goodness  could  be 
united,  was  a  perplexing  question  in  his 
heart.  The  school,  to  all  appearance's,  had 
decided  not.  Was  he  strong  enough  to  go 
against  them  all?  —  to  prove  their  mistake 
by  Ms  own  conduct?  To  commence  and 
miserably  fail, — that  would  be  shame  and 
anguish,  and  ruin  to  the  cause! — and  so 
he  waited,  and  pondered  in  doubt  and  per- 


196  GILBERT   STARR. 

plexity,  deciding  for  neither  the  right  nor 
the  wrong.  Could  you  have  done  better? 
Now  Gilbert  kept  all  these  thoughts  to 
himself,  and  observing  Ray  Hunter  did  not 
dream  of  their  presence.  He  sometimes 
saw  that  his  friend  was  silent  and  thought- 
ful, where  he  had  once  been  gay  and  boister- 
ous, but  he  did  hot  guess  the  truth,  nor 
imagine  Gilbert's  thoughtfulness  to  result 
from  anything  but  ordinary  school-events. 
He  took  great  heart  when  he  saw  the  Gap- 
tain  rise  to  the  height  of  popularity  again, 
and  assert  his  authority  as  of  old  ;  and  think- 
ing to  do  his  friend  a  great  service,  he  re- 
doubled his  exertions  to  discover  who  had 
betrayed  the  combatants  into  Mr.  Wintc'rhal- 
ter's  hands.  In  the  first  place,  he  took  pains 
to  ascertain  who  was  out  latest  on  that  even- 
ing. It  proved  to  be  Perry  Kent ;  but  Ray 
thought  little  of  that  till  he  discovered  that 
the  same  boy  had  been  seen  to  go  out  the 


A   TROUBLE    APPEARS.  197 

hedge-gate,  a  little  after  sun-down,  and  then 
he  remembered  meeting  him  himself,  and  how 
Perry's  face  flushed  as  their  eyes  met.  Then, 
coupling  this  with  the  fact  that  the  boy  did 
not  come  to  his  room  till  nearly  an  hour 
after  his  usual  bed-time,  and  with  the  fact 
that  Gilbert  himself  had  all  along  been 
strangely  silent  upon  the  important  ques- 
tion of  "Who  was  the  traitor?"  his  sus- 
picions suddenly  deepened  into  certainty, 
and  he  was  confident  that  he  had  discovered 
the  delinquent. 

"  He  must  have  overheard  us  talking  about 
the  fight  when  we  thought  him  asleep !  " 
he  thought,  indignantly ;  "  and  Gilbert  has 
known  it  all  the  time  !  "  Ray  was  amazed 
and  indignant  and  soriy  at  the  same  time, 
—  amazed  that  the  traitor  should  prove  to  be 
Perry  Kent,  the  last  boy  to  be  suspected,  — 
indignant  that  he  should  disclose  their  secrets 
to  Mr.  "Winterhalter,  and  because  Gilbert 


198  GILBERT   STARR. 

had  hidden  the  truth  from  himself,  —  sorry, 
because  Gilbert,  in  his  opinion,  had  fallen 
below  his  dignity  by  deigning  to  "  hide  that 
little  baby-faced,  tale-telling,  mean  rascal 
from  the  punishment  he  deserves!" 

The  more  Ray  thought  of  it,  the  angrier 
he  grew.  His  "first  impulse  was  to  spread 
the  news  of  his  discovery  all  over  the  school, 
and  let  Perry  Kent  suffer  the  consequences. 
Very  likely  he  would  have  done  so,  had  he 
not  chanced  to  remember  that  such  a  dis- 
closure would  bring  reproach  upon  Gilbert 
as  well  as  the  traitor ;  so  he  desisted  for 
the  present,  and  went  in  search  of  the  Cap- 
tain at  once. 

It  was  the  time  between  the  close  of 
school  and  tea,  and  Gilbert  chanced  to  be 
the  only  one  in  the  room,  when  Ray  came 
up-stairs,  and  as  he  was  busy  over  some  les- 
sons, he  did  not  turn  his  head  at  the  sound 
of  his  friend's  well-known  steps.  When  he 


A   TROUBLE   APPEARS.  199 

did  look  up,  wondering  at  Ray's  silence,  it 
was  to  see  that  young  gentleman  standing 
by  his  table,  and  looking  down  upon  him 
with  eyes  that  were  very  angry,  if  not  dis- 
dainful. 

Gilbert  waited  for  Ray  to  explain  him- 
self; Ray  waited  for  Gilbert  to  speak.  At 
last,  "Well,  what's  the  matter?"  came  from 
Gilbert.  :t  What  have  I  done  this  time?" 

"  Something  which  would  be  called  mean- 
ness in  any  one  else,"  said  Ray,  indignantly ; 
"  you've  deceived  me  and  the  whole  school 
at  once  !" 

Gilbert's  face  flushed  a  little  as  he  an- 
swered, — 

"You  can't  be  beat  for  saying  hard  things, 
Ray  Hunter.  Now  explain,  for  I  don't  un- 
derstand." 

"You  might,  if  you'd  think.  I've  just 
discovered  who  the  traitor  was  that  gave 
our  secret  to  Mr.  Winterhalter." 


200  GILBERT   STARR. 

"Was  it  I?"  smiled  Gilbert. 

"Of  course  not;  you  aren't  capable  of 
that;  but  you've  hid  the  one  that  did  do 
it  from  the  whole  of  us, — from  me,  that 
you've  no  right  to  deceive  ;  from  your  Club, 
that  has  as  much  right  as  yourself  to  know 
the  offender.  I  declare,  I've  a  good  mind 
to  tell  the  whole  school  at  once!" 

Gilbert  took  no  notice  of  this  half-threat, 
but  coolly  asked,  — 

"How  did  you  find  out?" 

"Oh,  by  putting  this  and  that  together. 
It's  all  as  plain  as  day  to  me,  now.  That 
rascal,  Kent,  listened  and  overheard  our 
plan,  then  kept"  — 

"  Excuse  me,"  said  Gilbert ;  "  but  that 
little  rascal  did  no  such  thing.  If  you 
must  know,  he  found  the  copy  of  the  chal- 
lenge, which  I  sent  Forrest,  under  my  win- 
dow. That's  how  the  secret  came  out. 


A    TROUBLE    APPEARS.  201 

He  said  nothing  to  any  one,  but  gave  it 
back  to  me." 

Ray  was  surprised,  but  not  mollified. 

"So  he  was  dishonorable  enough  to  tell 
of  what  came  into  his  hands  by  chance  !  But 
why  didn't  you  forbid  him  to  breathe  a 
word  of  it  to  any  one?  Why  didn't  you 
give  him  a  good  thrashing  when  you  found 
out  what  was  done?  Why  didn't  you  let 
us  all  know?" 

"  Because,"  said  Gilbert,  "  it  would  have 
been  like  throwing  him  into  a  den  of  lions ; 
you'd  have  tormented  him  to  death !  Now 
the  little  fellow  ran  the  risk  of  your  re- 
venge, and  mine,  too,  and  came  clear  up  to 
Ilainford  bridge  to  stop  the  fight,  and  all 
for  my  sake,  because  he  thought  it  was 
wrong,  and  I  was  making  a  brute  of  my- 
self. That's  more  than  you  or  the  Club 
ever  did  for  me ;  and  since  he  stood  by 
me  and  ran  such  risk,  now  I'll  stand  by 


202  GILBERT    STARR. 

him,  and  keep  you  and  the  whole  school 
off,  if  I  die  for  it  I" 

Ray  fell  back  in  astonishment.  At  last 
he  said,  "  But,  Gilbert,  just  think  of  the 
consequences  !  They'll  say  you're  a  coward, 
and  bribed  Kent  to  tell  Winterhalter.  Don't 
you  see?  —  they'll  claim  that,  and  say  you 
shelter  him  to  pay  for  it." 

But  Gilbert's  spirit  was  roused.  "  Con- 
sequences!" he  exclaimed;  "I  don't  care 
for  the  consequences  !  I'm.  able  to  shelter 
this  little  fellow  from  you  all,  and  I'll  do 
it !  I  should  be  a  brute  and  a  coward  if  I 
didn't." 

Ray  knew  his  friend  too  well  to  think 
it  would  be  of  any  further  use  to  oppose 
him.  So  he  changed  his  tactics,  and  was 
gentle  and  persuasive.  He  drew  a  chair  up 
to  Gilbert's  table  and  sat  down,  saying, 
"  Now  I  haven't  told  any  one  of  this,  but 
I've  got  to,  you  see,  for  the  Club  set  me 


A   TROUBLE   APPEARS.  203 

to  find  out.  Now  there's  no  need  of  men- 
tioning your  name,  if  you'll  only  give  up 
this  confounded  Perry.  If  he  tattles,  let 
him  take  the  consequences,  but  don't  you 
be  dragged  down  with  him  !  Oh,  Gilbert, 
just  listen  to  reason,  and  let  him  take  care 
of  himself." 

Gilbert's  gray  eyes  flashed  as  angrily  as 
Ray's  had  done,  and  he  got  up  from  his 
chair,  saying,  "I  sha'n't  listen  to  this  any 
longer.  If  you"  aren't  trying  to  drag  me 
down,  who  is  ?  " 

Ray  saw  he  had  gone  too  far,  and  re- 
pented. He  pulled  the  Captain  back,  say- 
ing, 'There,  forgive  me!  —  don't  mind 
what  I  said.  Come  back  here  a  minute. 
Now  what  shall  I  tell  the  Club  when  I 
report?" 

:r  Whatever  you  like,"  said  Gilbert  coldly ; 
"  it  will  make  no  difference  with  me." 

"  But,  old  fellow,"  putting  his  arm  about 


204  GILBERT   STARS. 

the  Captain,  "you're  offended  with  me  now. 
Don't  you  know  I  wouldn't  do  a  thing  to 
harm  you  an  atom,  and  that's  why  I've  got 
myself  into  ill-favor, — by  trying  to  do  this 
thing  for  your  sake?" 

"  That's  true,"  said  Gilbert,  reflectively, 
and  gave  his  friend  his  hand. 

"  Now,"  said  Ray,  as  he  grasped  it,  "  for- 
give me,  and  I'll  tell  the  Boat  Club  a  fib. 
They  shall  never  know  any — " 

But  Gilbert  snatched  away  his  hand,  say- 
ing, "  Look  here,  Eay  !  don't  you  see  what 
we've  come  to?  We've  got  so  that  we  don't 
mind  a  fib,  or  deceit,  or  a  plain  lie  now  and 
then,  if  it  works  for  our  interest.  Our 
honor  is  all  a  sham.  We  do  something  dis- 
honorable every  day  of  our  lives,  and  think 
nothing  of  it !  Why,  don't  you  see  what 
shams  we  are  ?  Are  your  eyes  blinded  ?  Don't 
you  feel  it  in  your  heart?  Oh,  I'm  sick  of 
it  all!  I  hate  it!  I  loathe  myself!  Tell 


A    TROUBLE    APPEARS.  205 

the  Club  if  you  like,  Ray,  and  I'll  make  a 
stand  4>r  the  right.  It's  got  to  come  some- 
time, and  it  might  as  well  come  now.  I'm 
sick  of  this  kind  of  life,  and  I  want  to  be  a 
better  fellow,  and  I've  got  to  make  a  com- 
mencement; and  if  I'm  to  be  pulled  down, 
I  can  bear  it  as  well  now  as  any  time." 

Ray's  arm  slid  oif  his  friend's  shoulder, 
and  he  moved  backward.  His  astonishment 
was  written  upon  his  face.  He  plainly  did 
rfot  know  what  to  say  or  think. 

As  for  Gilbert,  he  looked  at  his  friend, 
hoping  for  some  word  of  encouragement. 
Now  that  this  confession  was  made  to  his 
nearest  friend,  it  did  not  seem  so  hard  to 
stand  out  before  the  rest,  and  allow  them 
to  read  his  intentions.  He  would  now  care 
nothing  for  the  scnool's  sneers,  but  go  brave- 
ly on  and  show  them  that  — 

Just  here  there  came  an  interruption  in 
the  shape  of  Barry  White, — an  interruption 


206  GILBERT    STARR. 

which  was  destined  to  dash  all  Gilbert's 
hopes  and  resolutions  in  pieces,  and,  strangely 
enough,  at  the  very  moment  when  he  had 
resolved  to  bravely  carry  them  out. 

So,  ofttimes,  our  best,  our  purest  motives 
are  frustrated  by  some  evil  which  suddenly 
thrusts  itself  upon  us,  overshadowing  and 
driving  them  away,  and  leaving  us  forlorn 
and  guideless,  knowing  not  which  way  to 
turn.  But  if  we  have  the  heart  and  patience 
to  wait  and  trust  on,  a  kind  Hand  presently 
rends  the  darkness  and  leads  us  up  and 
out  into  day. 

Barry  White  came  in,  saying,  "  Ah,  Cap- 
tain, you're  the  very  fellow  I  want  to  see  ! 
Do — why,  you  here,  Ray?  —  you  see,  Cap, 
the  queerest  thing  has  happened,  and  you're 
the  one  to  tell  me  what  to  do.  Listen  a 
minute,  please." 

"Certainly,"  said   Gilbert,  turning  about 


A    TROUBLE    APPEARS.  207 

« 

to  listen,  though  he  was  secretly  annoyed  by 
this   interruption. 

"  Well,"  said  Barry,  "  it's  all  about  my 
gold  pencil.  You  see,  I  didn't  want  it  this 
morning,  when  I  dressed,  so  I  left  it  out 
there  on  my  table.  When  I  came  to  get 
it  this  noon,  it  was  gone.  I've  been  ask-  ( 
ing  all  the  fellows,  since  school,  and  they 
remember  seeing  it  there."* 

"  So  it's  gone?"  said  Gilbert,  vaguely,  still 
thinking  of  something  else. 
•  "  Yes,  and  that's  what's  so  funny.  Of 
course  our  fellows  can't  steal,  and  the  other 
classes  never  come  in  here.  What  can  I 
do,  Captain?" 

Gilbert  got  up  and  walked  to  the  table, 
looked  among  the  papers,  and  saw  it  was 
not  there.  He  came  back,  saying,  "  Sure 
it  isn't  in  some  of  your  pockets?" 

Barry  turned  his  pockets  wrong  side  out. 


208  GILBERT    STAKE. 

"Are  you  sure  you  laid  it  there?"  said 
Gilbert,  looking  puzzled. 

"  I  know  I  did ;  Turner  will  tell  you  so, 
so  will  Tom,  — they  saw  it  there." 

"  So  did  I,"  said  Eay. 

"  That  is  curious,"  said  Captain  Starr. 
"Haven't  you  any  idea  about  it,  —  no  sus- 
picions, White?" 

•Barry  shifted  tmeasily  in  his  chair,  looked 
at  Ray,  then  at  the  Captain,  and  said  at  last, 
"Why,  if — if  our  fellows  are  above  sus- 
picion, and  you'll  allow  they  are,  and  noift- 
of  the  other  classes  can  come  in  except  Perry 
Kent,  I  can't  help  but  think  that  —  that  — ' 

Here  Barry  hesitated  and  looked  at  Gil- 
bert, not  knowing  how  far  he  might  venture 
in  his  suspicion. 

Gilbert's  face  had  grown  suddenly  white, 
but  he  said,  "  Go  on ! "  and  White  finished 
with,  "  I  can't  help  but  think  it  was  he, 


A   TROUBLE    APPEARS.  209 

you  see,  because  there's  no  one  else  to  sus- 
pect." 

Ray  Hunter,  though  he  disliked  Perry 
Kent,  felt  sorry  for  Gilbert  then,  and  was 
fain  to  offer  a  word  of  consolation.- 

"  Pshaw,  White  ! "  he  exclaimed,  "  likely 
enough  the  fellows  have  hid  it  away  for  a 
joke.  You'd  better  be  certain  before  you 
accuse." 

:t  Yes,"  said  Gilbert,  "  but  we  will  be 
certain.  This  is  something  which  concerns 
me.  Ray,  send  all  our  class  up  here." 

Ray  went  off  to  do  as  he  was  ordered, 
and  Gilbert  shut  up  his  books,  thinking  it 
was  a  very  unfortunate  moment  for  such 
disagreeable  business  to  befall  him.  Very 
likely  it  was  only  one  of  Tom  Fowler's 
jokes,  but  if  it  should  not  be,  and  the  pencil 
was  really  stolen,  and  it  should  be  proved 
that  no  one  but  Perry  Kent  had — Gilbert 

would   allow   himself  to   think   of  no    such 
14 


210  GILBERT    STARR. 

possibility,  and  walked  away  to  the  window. 
There  he  saw  his  protege  playing  on  the 
lawn  below. 

"  Oh  !  "  he  thought,  "  if  I  do  find  that  I'm 
deceived  in  him,  that  he  isn't  the  good, 
warm-hearted — but  pshaw !  J  won't  think 
of  it!  He  can't  be  anything  else." 

Ray  was  not  long  in  finding  all  the  inmates 
of  the  first  room,  and  taking  them  up-stair*. 
They  came  bouncing  in  with  many  a  laugh 
and  joke,  which  Gilbert  presently  put  an  end 
to  by  saying,  "  Now,  boys,  here's  a  mat- 
ter that  concerns  my  honor.  I'm  respon- 
sible for  Perry  Kent  in  this  room,  and  Barry 
here  suspects  him  of  stealing.  Now,  to 
satisfy  us,  I  want  you  to  declare,  on  your 
honor,  whether  you  know  anything  about 
this  pencil.  We  shall  find  out  that  it's  a 
joke,  I  expect,  before  we're  half  through. 
Do  you  know  anything  about  it,  Turner?" 

Juruer  replied  that  on   his  honor  he  did 


A   TROUBLE   APPEARS.  211 

not,  and  looked  somewhat  offended,  as  if 
his  honesty  was  questioned.  Bob  Upham 
made  the  same  answer,  as  did  Ray  Hunter. 
So,  one  after  another,  the  rest  affirmed  the 
same  thing,  till  there  was  no  one  left  un- 
questioned but  Tom  Fowler.  Matters  be- 
gan to  look  serious.  Gilbert  was  firm,  but 
at  heart  he  trembled.  He  put  the  question 
to  Tom,  almost  expecting  to  see  him  burst 
iuto  a  laugh  and  acknowledge  the  whole ; 
but  Tom  denied  all  knowledge  of  the  affair 
quite  as  gravely  as  the  rest.  Gilbert  shiv- 
ered as  he  said,  "  Ray,  open  the  window 
and  tell  Perry  I  want  to  see  him." 

Ray  did  as  he  was  desired,  and  after  the 
lapse  of  a  few  minutes  the  boy  came  running 
into  tho  room,  expecting  to  see  no  one  but 
his  protector,  but  instead,  finding  all  the 
first  class  ranged  about  the  room,  and  re- 
garding him  curiously.  His  eyes  fell,  and 
his  color  rose. 


212  GILBERT    STAKE. 

There  was  a  strange  wavering  betwixt 
tenderness  and  coldness  in  Gilbert's  voice  as 

^^ 

he  said,  "  Perry,  come  here.  Barry  White, 
in  this  chair  by  me,  misses  his  gold  pencil, 
which  he  left  on  the  table  out  yonder. 
All  these  fellows  know  nothing  about  it. 
Now  we  want  to  know  if  you've  seen  it." 

"  Ask  him  if  he's  taken  it,"  said  Bob 
Upham,  in  a  disagreeable  tone. 

Gilbert  gave  the  speaker  a  look  which 
said  a  great  deal  in  a  quiet  way,  and  then 
added,  "  Yes,  it  comes  to  the  same  thing, 
Perry;  have  you  stolen  Barry  White's  pen- 
cil?" 


CHAPTEE  XI. 


UNDER    A    CLOUD. 


T 


HOUGH  the  eyes  of  all  the  Boat  Club 
were   upon  him,-  regarding  his   crimson 


1 
cheeks  and  downcast  eyes  as  sure  signs  of 

guilt,  yet,  when  Gilbert  asked  this  plain 
question,  something  within  the  little  boy's 
heart  enabled  him  to  raise  his  eyes  to  Gil- 
bert's own,  and  say,  with  more  spirit  than 
he  had  ever  before  displayed, — 

"No,  I  haven't  stole  it." 

"Well,  did  you  ever  hear  anything  like 
that?"  said  Tom  Fowler;  "he  denies  it, 
and  uses  bad  grammar  into  the  bargain." 

"Wait,"  said   Gilbert,   looking    at  Tom; 


214  GILBERT    STARR. 

then  to  Periy,  with  a  distressed  manner, 
"Haven't  you  seen  it  either?" 

"No,"  said  his  protege,  as  spiritedly  as 
before. 

The  room  grew  perfectly  still,  all  wait- 
ing to  see  what  Gilbert  would  do. 

Captain  Starr  had  never  felt  so  distressed 
before.  Here  was  the  boy  whom  he  had 
believed  and  trusted  in  as  something  bet- 
ter, purer,  nearer  the  true  standard  of  what 
a  boy  should  be  than  the  whole  of  them ; 
it  was  he  who  had  first  aroused  a  sense 
of  unworthiness  in  his  own  heart ;  he  who 
had  unconsciously  reproached  him  by  his 
actions  and  motives  every  day ;  he  who 
had  delighted  and  surprised  him  with  such 
strong  gratitude  and  affection ;  and  now, 
to  have  him  charged  with  such  guilt  and 
meanness,  and  without  the  power  to  refute 
it,  why,  it  shocked  and  appalled  him.  He 
almost  doubted  his  own  senses. 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  215 

Perry  looked  up  at  him  in  this  strange 
silence  with  a  quick,  searching  gaze,  as  if 
he  suddenly  suspected  that  Gilbert  doubted 
his  word,  and  his  protector's  eyes  fell  and 
his  face  flushed. 

"Oh,  if  I  only  knew,"  Gilbert  thought 
to  himself,  —  "if  I  only  knew!" 

At  most  times  Perry's  word  would  have 
determined  his  course ;  but  now,  with  the 
honor  of  the  whole  class  pledged  against 
this  little  boy's  word,  he  wavered.  A  sus- 
picion crept  into  his  mind  that  he  had* 
been  this  apparently  pure-hearted  boy's 
dupe ;  he  might  have  adopted  all  this 
show  of  gentleness  and  simplicity  in  or- 
der to  deceive.  At  another  time  these 
foolish  suspicions  would  not  have  found  a 
place  in  Gilbert's  head  for  a  moment;  but 
now,  so  amazed  and  unsettled  was  he  that 
he  could  not  judge  between  the  folly  and 
truth  of  the  matter,  and  said  to  himself 


216  GILBERT    STARR. 

again,  "If  I  only  knew,  I  wouldn't  hesi- 
tate a  moment!"  But  he  could  know  no 
more,  and  here  were  Perry's  word  and  the 
honor  of  the  class,  to  decide  between. 

The  Boat  Club  exchanged  glances  and 
smiled ;  it  was  something  new  to  see  their 
Captain  in  such  distress  and  perplexity. 
To  them  the  scene  was  quite  diverting ; 
only  Albert  Turner  looked  grim.  Pretty 
soon  he  said,  proudly,  — 

"  I  would  like  to  knpw  whether  Captain 
Starr  doubts  the  honor  of  his  Club?" 

"  Sure  enough,"  said  Bob  Upham ;  "I 
hadn't  looked  at  it  in  that  light  before ; 
it  does  look  as  if  he  hesitated  between 
our  word  and  that  little  snip's." 

Ray  Hunter  crossed  over  and  whispered 
in  Gilbert's  ear, — 

"  For  Heaven's  sake,  Gil,  don't  put  off 
another  minute ;  it  looks  as  if  you  doubted 
us  all!" 


TTSTDER  A   CLOUD.  217 

"But,"  said  Gilbert,  "I'm  not  sure;  I 
can't  decide.  It's  a  hard  thing  to  make 
a  mistake  about.  Oh,  Ray,  if  you  knew 
how  I  felt!" 

But  Ray  returned  in  a  whisper,  "Show 
your  courage!  be  a  man!  Why,  you're 
going  to  shelter  this  little  baby  just  be- 
cause you  like  him !  Is  that  the  kind  of 
justice  for  a  head-boy  to  have?" 

These  words  were  not  without  their  ef- 
fect. Gilbert  really  began  to  think  his 
protege  guilty,  and  acted  accordingly. 

'  Perry,"  said  he,  coldly,  "  you'll  have 
to  acknowledge  that  everything  is  against 
you.  No  other  boys,  out  of  the  first  class, 
ever  come  in  here  but  you.  My  friends 
have  all  said,  on  their  honor,  that  they 
know  nothing  about  it,  and  I  must  believe 
them.  Now — " 

"Do  you  believe  I'm  guilty?"  said  Per- 
ry, falteringly. 


218  GILBERT   STARR. 

Gilbert  hesitated  an  instant,  then  said, 
r'  Yes,  I  believe  you're  guilty.  I  don't 
see  how  it  can  be  any  other  way." 

"Oh,  Gilbert ! "  cried  the  boy,  appeal- 
ingly. 

"  Stop,"  said  his  protector ;  "it's  no 
harder  for  you  to  bear  than  for  me.  I 
said  I  would  be  responsible  for  your  con- 
duct, and  this  is  iny  reward.  You've  dis- 
graced me,  as  well  as  yourself,  and — and 
—  oh,  how  I  have  been  deceived!" 

Gilbert  left  his  chair  and  walked  to  the 
window  to  hide  something  besides  auger. 
When  he  came  back,  he  found  that  his  pro- 
tege had  sunk  down  upon  the  floor  and 
hidden  his  face. 

"That  looks  like  guilt,"  thought  he, 
with  a  shiver ;  but  he  was  touched  for  all 
that,  and  said,  in  a  softer  tone,  "  If  .you'll 
confess  the  whole,  and  ask  these  boys'  for- 
giveness, I'll  think  about  smoothing  the 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  219 

matter  over.  Be  quick;  for  there's  no 
time  to  lose.  Speak,  Perry, — give  me 
an  answer." 

"  I   didn't   do   it,"   said  Perry,  brokenly. 

"  Stop ;  that's  not  true.  Now  will  you 
confess  the  whole?" 

"I  can't;  I  didn't  do  it!"  was  all 
Perry  would  say. 

'  You  did  do  it  ! "  said  his  protector, 
stamping  on  the  floor.  '  Will  you  confess 
it?" 

No  answer. 

'  The  Captain's  lamb  is  an  obstinate 
thing,"  said  Tom,  in  an  audible  whisper, 
at  which  the  rest  of  the  Club  laughed. 

Of  course,  this  did   not   serve  to   lessen 
Gilbert's  temper.     What  with  his  grief  and 
disappointment,    dismay   at    being  thus   de- 
ceived, and   vexation   at  Perry's   obstinacy," 
he  almost  lost  himself  in  a  fit  of  passion. 


220  GILBERT    STARR. 

Eaising  his  protege  off  the  floor,  he  forced 
him  into  a  chair  with  no  light  hand. 

"Will  you  confess  what  you've  done?" 
he  asked,  angrily,  —  "will  you?  Tell  me  1 
quick  !  I  won't  wait  long." 

Still  no  answer,  and  again  the  boys 
laughed. 

Gilbert  hurriedly  asked  the  question  again, 
and  meeting  with  no-  better  success,  madly 
raised  his  hand  to  strike.  Ray  Hunter 
stepped  between,  and  caught  the  blow  on 
his  own  sturdy  shoulders. 

'  There,"  said  he,  as  he  grasped  Gilbert's 
hand,  "  you're  getting  beside  yourself,  old 
fellow.  Stop  and  think!  —  you  wouldn't 
strike  that  little  fellow  in  your  senses." 

Gilbert  did  stop,  and  thought.  His  face 
crimsoned.  He  would  not  be  a  bully  if 
xthe  thing  were  never  confessed !  and  touch- 
ing Perry,  he  said,  "  Well,  keep  the  secret 
if  you  like.  It  will  harm  yourself  more  than 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  221 

jMiy  one  else,  and  you'll  have  a  chance  to  dis- 
play your  obstinacy;  but  see  here," — grow- 
ing fierce, — "I  cast  you  off!  I'm  not  re- 
sponsible for  you  any  longer,  and  you  needn't 
claim  my  protection  again.  Keep  away  from 
me  !  —  out  of  my  sight ;  I  don't  want  to  see 
you." 

He  took  Perry  by  the  arm  and  led  him 
into  the  hall,  bidding  him  to  go,  and  as  the 
boy  was  about  to  obey,  stooped  down  and 
whispered,  "  If  it'll  do  you  any  good,  you 
may  know  that  I  never  was  so  deceived  in 
my  life.  I'll  never  believe  in  anything  good 
again!" 

Then  he  went  back  to  his  comrades,  look- 
ing very  resolute. 

"  Well,"  said  Bob  Upham,  approvingly, 
"  you  finished  that  matter  up  after  the  old 
fashion.  You  act  more  like  yourself  than 
I've  seen  you  for  a  month." 


222-  GILBERT    STARR. 

'  Who  else  have  I  acted  like?"  demanded 
Gilbert. 

Upham  was  careful  not  to  provoke  Gil- 
bert by  answering,  and  taking  no  notice  of 
him,  the  Captain  said,  "  Now  I've  a  favor 
to  ask  of  all  of  you,  and  it  is  this:  don't 
spread  the  news  of  this  affair  all  over  school. 
I  don't  care  for  myself,  but  this  little  fellow 
will  get  a  heavy  punishment  enough  with- 
out our  adding  to  it,  and,  "White,  I'll  make 
good  the  loss  of  your  pencil,  so  the  matter 
needn't  go  to  Wiuterhalter's  ears.  Now 
what  do  you  say?" 

'  Well,"  said  Tom,  with  more  feeling 
than  Gilbert  had  ever  seen  him  display  be- 
fore, "  I  agree  to  it.  What's  the  use  of 
hammering  the  little  chap  after  he's  down? 
He's  got  enough  to  do  to  keep  up,  after  what 
Gilbert's  said  to  him.  Did  you  see  ?  —  he 
wilted  right  down  after  he  found  out  that  he 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  "223 

thought  him  guilty.  Yes !  let's  keep  the 
matter  to  ourselves." 

'  Thank  you,  Tom,"  said  Gilbert,  warm- 
ly ;  "  I  dou't  want  to  see  the  boy  ill-treated, 
though  he  has  deceived  me." 

One  after  another,  the  rest  of  the  Club 
acquiesced  before  the  supper-bell  rang  and 
they  hurried  off.  Gilbert  did  not  go  down  ; 
so,  when  Ray  Hunter  found  it  out,  he  vent 
back  up  to  their  chamber  and  fouud  the 
Captain  in  his  chair  before  the  window,  with 
his  head  on  the  sash. 

Now,  to  do  Ray's  heart  justice,  he  was 
sincerely  sorry  for  what  had  occurred.  True, 
he  disliked  Perry  because  of  his  influence 
over  his  friend,  and  was  not  sorry  to  see  it 
broken,  but  he  was  pained  to  see  how  Gil- 
bert had  been  shocked  and  disappointed. 
He  remembered,  too,  that  he  had  just  de- 
clared- himself  sick  of  their  false  way  of 
living,  and  ready  to  commence  a  better 


22f4  GILBERT   STAER. 

course ;  and  though  he  hardly  sympathized 
with  this,  he  could  feel  pity  for  the  harsh 
thrust  which  dashed  all  Gilbert's  hopes  and 
aspirations  to  the  ground.  So  he  pulled 
away  the  Captain's  hands  from  his  face, 
stroking  back  his  hair  as  tenderly  as  a  boy 
could  be  expected  to  do,  saying,  "  Come, 
where's  your  pluck  and  courage,  old  fellow? 
Worse  things  than  this  happen  to  folks. 
Why,  did  you  think  that  little  fellow  was 
perfection  itself?  " 

"Oh,  Bay!"  said  Gilbert,  "I  don't  be- 
lieve there's  a  good  person  in  the  world  ! " 

"Pshaw!  yes,  there  is,  —  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter  for  instance.  And  if  you  say  that, 
I'll  contradict  you,  for  my  mother  is  good. 
Now  brighten  up,  and  let  Perry  Kent  take 
care  of  himself.  He  isn't  worth  thinking 
about." 

"  He  was  worth  thinking  about,"  said  Gil- 
bert ;  "  he  put  some  thoughts  into  my  heart 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  225 

which  I'm  sure  were  good,  if  there  were 
never  any  such  there  before." 

'  Then  why  not  stick  to  'em?"  said  Eay. 

'  That's  very  easy  to  ask,"  said  Gilbert, 
"  but  I  tell  you  I  haven't  the  heart  for  any- 
thing after  this.  I'm  discouraged  to  try ! 
Perhaps  you'll  think  that  it's  a  poor  long- 
ing to  be  better  that  can't  stand  alone,  but 
goes  under  at  the  first  knock ;  but  I  can't 
help  it!  It's  so." 

'  There,  Captain,  I  don't  think  any  such 
thiug.  You'll  come  out  of  this.  What  do 
you  want  to  be  any  better  for?  You're 
good  enough  for  me,  now.  You  don't  swear, 
you  don't  bully,  you  don't  chew  nor  smoke, 
like  some  of  Roth's  boys,  and  you  behave 
like  a  gentleman.  Come,  do  you  suppose 
I  want  you  to  go  to  getting  any  better 
than  you  are  now, — putting  on  your  high- 
heeled  shoes  and  wearing  a  Quaker  suit 

and   talking  through   your   nose?    No,  sir! 
15 


226  GILBERT   STARR. 

Give   me  Gilbert    Starr  just  as  he   is  now, 

and   I'll   love   him    ten    times    better    than 

. 

when  he's  starched  up  into  a  goody,  sancti- 
monious old  Roundhead  I  Old  fellow,  come 
down  to  supper." 

Gilbert  laughed  a  little  at  this,  but  did 
not  look  very  cheerful. 

"  I  wish  Barry  and  his  pencil  were  in  Tar- 
tary,  before  ever  they  made  trouble  here," 
continued  Ray ;  "  and  I  wish,  for  your 
sake,  that  Kent  wasn't  a  thief;  but  since 
we  can't  help  ourselves,  what's  the  use  of 
sitting  down  here  and  spooneying  over  it?" 

"You're  right,"  said  Gilbert,  with  a  res- 
olute face;  "I'll  live  it  down.  Keep  my 
secrets  for  me,  Ray,  you  blessed  fellow, 
and  I'll  show  them  I  don't  mind  it.  What's 
the  use  of  trying  to  be  good  ?  It's  no  use  ! 
and  —  and  —  " 

Gilbert's  eyes  fell  on  the  far,  wide  vista 
of  summer  hills,  fair  and  golden  in  the 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  227 

day's  declining,  and  ended  his  sentence 
with  a  sigh. 

"  Stop  that ! "  said  Ray,  the  ever- watch- 
ful;  "  you'll  go  into  a  fit  of  melancholy 
in  two  minutes  if  you  stand  here  looking 
at  those  yellow  hills ;  "  and  straightway  he 
threw  one  arm  over  Gilbert's  shoulder,  and 
drew  him  away. 

They  left  the  window  and  passed  into 
the  halL  Perry  Kent  stood  there,  leaning 
against  the  balusters,  and  as  the  two  came 
out,  he  started  toward  his  former  protec- 
tor with  an  appealing  look  and  gesture ; 
but  Gilbert  took  no  more  notice  of  him 
than  if  he  were  the  merest  pebble  upon 
the  floor,  and,  arm  in  arm  with  his  friend, 
passed  down  to  supper. 

Everybody  at  the  supper-table  said  that 
Captain  Starr  had  never  been  gayer  or 
merrier.  He  joked  with  Tom  Fowler  as 
much  as  table-propriety  woulxl  allow ;  he 


228  GILBERT   STARR. 

had  a  word  for  Rufe  Fitch  and  Sam  Copp 
even,  and  those  two  leaders  of  the  lower 
classes  were  in  the  best  of  spirits  on  that 
account.  Ray  Hunter .  opened  his  eyes  very 
wide  at  this  unusual  levity,  and  thought  to 
himself,  "  Poor  Gil !  he's  making  all  this 
fun;  he  don't  feel  a  bit  of  it." 

However,  this  merriment  answered  one 
purpose  which  pleased  Ray  very  well;  it 
made  Gilbert  popular,  if  it  did  not  make 
him  happy.  He  never  was  more  popular 
than  when  he  went  out  to  the  lawn  that 
night,  after  supper,  and  the  Boat  Club  had 
never  been  so  proud  of  him. 

"  Talk  about  Gilbert's  not  being  a 
good  captain,"  said  Tom  Fowler,  as  he 
watched  Gilbert's  motions  from  under  the 
ash  tree ;  "  why,  he  could  rule  a  king- 
dom!" 

The  little  boy,  up-stairs  by  the  balusters, 
leaned  over  and  felt  tempted  to  throw  him- 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  229 

self  down.  He  heard  the  trample  of  feet 
as  the  school  swept  out  to  the  lawn  after 
supper;  he  heard  Gilbert's  voice  sound- 
ing blithely  among  them,  and  when  he  re- 
membered that  the  voice  was  not  to  be 
kind  and  pleasant  to  him  any  longer,  he 
sat  down  on  the  floor  and  wept  bitterly. 
Gilbert  hated  him ;  Gilbert  despised  him ; 
Gilbert  thought  him  a  thief,  and,  worst 
of  all,  Gilbert  had  said  that  he  never 
would  believe  in  anything  good  again ! 
He  sat  here,  sobbing,  till  it  began  to  grow 
dusk  in  the  long  corridor,  and  still  saw 
no  way  by  which  he  might  prove  his  in- 
nocence. No  one  would  take  his  word 
before  all  the  great  boys  in  the  first  class ; 
no  one  would  take  time  to  listen  to  his 
story ;  no  one  would  take  his  part,  now 
that  Gilbert  was  against  him ;  so  what 
could  he  do?  It  grew  darker  and  duskier, 
but  still  he  sat  disconsolately  upon  the 


230  GILBERT   STARR. 

floor,  and  the  few  boys  who  straggled 
through  the  hall  failed  to  see  him  as 
they  passed ;  but  by  and  by  there  came 
a  light  step  along  the  corridor,  the  soft 
rustle  of  a  dress,  and  a  pair  of  kind  eyes 
saw  what  the  boys  had  failed  to  discern. 

"Dear  me!  what  can  the  matter  be?" 
was  the  first  knowledge  which  Perry  had 
of  Mrs.  Winterhalter's  presence,  and  then 
the  good  lady  lifted  him  up,  leading  him 
into  the  adjoining  room,  where  sufficient 
daylight  lingered  to  enable  her  to  see 
whom  she  had  found  in  trouble.  "  Perry 
Kent!  and  crying,  too!"  she  exclaimed. 
"  Why,  my  dear  boy,  what  is  the  matter?" 

The  boy's  troubles  were  not  to  be  told 
in  one  breath,  and  before  they  were  all 
disclosed  Mrs.  Winterhalter  led  him  down 
to  the  parlor  to  hear  the  remainder.  She 
looked  very  grave  when  he  had  finished. 

"I   am   astonished  at  Gilbert,"  she   said, 


UNDER  A  CLOUD.  231 

after  a  few  minutes'  thought;  "and  yet 
it's  very  strange  about  the  pencil.  He 
wouldn't  have  talked  to  you  so  unless 
he  believed  he  was  right.  But  /  don't 
think  so,  my  dear,"  with  one  of  her  cheer- 
ful smiles ;  "  and  now  do  you  keep  up  a 
bright  heart  and  face,  and  the  Right  will 
have  to  triumph  at  last.  I'll  see  what  I 
can  do  about  it."  With  that,  she  let  Perry 
go,  and  he  went  up  to  bed  somewhat  com- 
forted in  spirit. 

"  God  knows,"  he  thought,  "that  I  didn't 
do  it,  and  mamma  knows,  and  he'll  bring 
it  right,  sometime,  just  as  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter  says.  But  if  Gilbert  —  "  To  get 
past  his  friend's  name  without  breaking 
down  was  an  utter  impossibility,  and  his 
pillow  was  wet  with  quite  as  bitter  tears 
that  night  as  were  shed  upon  his  first  day 
at  Rainford. 

But  this  was  not  the  hardest  thing  which 


232  GILBERT    STARR. 

he  had  to  bear.  The  Boat  Club  were  true 
to  their  promise,  and  whispered  the  story 
of  the  theft  to  no  one ;  but  if  Gilbert 
thought  to  prevent  the  boy  from  being  per- 
secuted by  this  precaution,  he  was  utterly 
mistaken.  The  keen-eyed  boys  of  the 
lowej  classes  were  not  long  in  observing 
that  Perry  was  no  longer  under  Captain 
Starr's  protection,  and  that  he  was  even 
regarded  with  disfavor;  therefore  they 
pounced  upon  him  at  once,  as  an  object 
for  their  sport  and  tyranny.  Perhaps  they 
intended  to  make  up  for  lost  time ;  at  any 
rate,  they  gave  the  unfortunate  boy  little 
peace  of  his  life.  These  things  Gilbert 
saw  every  day,  but  hardened  his  heart, 
and,  true  to  his  promise,  denied  the  victim 
any  protection.  "He  didn't  spare  me," 
he  would  say  to  himself,  when  he  felt  im- 
pelled to  take  Perry's  part,  "  and  now  I 
won't  spare  him."  Sometimes  Eay  Hunter, 


UNDER   A   CLOUD.  233 

whose  heart  was  too  warm  to  allow  him  to 
see  downright  cruelty  practised,  interfered 
and  set  the  boy  free  from  his  captors ;  but 
Ray  was  rarely  present  on  these  occasions, 
and  then  Perry  was  obliged  to  shift  for 
himself. 

Two  or  three  weeks  passed.  The  affair 
of  the  pencil  remained  quite  as  much  of 
a  mystery  to  poor  Perry  as  ever,  and  Gil- 
bert was  quite  as  much  of  an  enemy.  Was 
it  any  wonder  that  the  boy  began  to  grow 
discouraged? — that,  between  Gilbert's  cold- 
ness and  his  schoolmates'  tyranny,  he  grew 
•fearful  and  wretched?  If  he  ventured  on 
to  the  lawn,  there  was  no  peace  to  be 
found  there.  Gilbert's  stern  face  was  al- 
most always  to  be  found  in  their  chamber, 
and  that  was  worse  to  endure  than  Sam 
Copp's  persecutions. 

During  this  time  one  thing  occurred 
which  touched  Gilbert's  heart  exceedingly. 


234  GILBERT    STARR. 

He  was  so  unfortunate  as  to  catch  a  duck- 
ing while  out  boating.  The  night  was 
cool,  even  •  chilly.  He  came  home  cold 
and  shivering,  and  went  to  bed  to  find 
that  Mrs.  Winterhalter's  summer  coverlets 
were  hardly  warm  enough  for  a  boy  in  his 
condition.  But  when  he  awoke  the  next 
morning,  it  was  to  find  that  an  extra  blan- 
ket had  been  spread  carefully  over  him. 
Who  could  have  done  it?  A  few  minutes' 
search  with  his  eyes  around  the  room  told 
him  who  had  slept  that  night  without  any 
covering  but  a  sheet.  He  said  nothing, 
but  restored  the  blanket  'to  its  owner's  bed, 
and  for  a  few  seconds  could  not  help  gaz- 
ing at  his  sleeping  protege  through  very 
misty  eyes. 


CHAPTER   XII* 

RACE    NUMBER    TWO. 

THE  middle  of  August  came,  and  found 
Perry  Kent  still  in  disgrace,  and  suf- 
fering such  persecutions  .as  only  sensitive 
little  boys  can  suffer.  He  longed  to  leave 
school,  but,  homeless  and  friendless,  there 
was  no  refuge  to  which  he  might  flee.  If 
it  had  not  been  for  Mrs.  Winterhalter's 
kindnesses,  the  little  boy  would  certainly 
have  yielded  to  his  misfortunes  and  given 
himself  up  to  the  apathetic  endurance  of 
his  troubles,  caring  naught  for  books  or 
study;  but  the  kind  lady  had  ever  a  word 
of  cheer  and  sympathy  for  the  friendless 


236  GILBERT    STARR. 

little  fellow  whenever  she  met  him, — which 
she  took  care  should  be  often,  —  and  she 
even  went  so  far  as  to  remonstrate  with 
Captain  Starr.  But  Gilbert  was  firm,  and, 
though  evidently  touched  by  his  protege's 
lonely,  unprotected  condition,  would  make 
no  concession,  not  even  when  the  good 
lady  requested  it  as  a  particular  favor  to 
herself.  "He's  deceived  me,"  Gilbert  had 

• 

said,  "and  now  I  don't, want  anything  to 
do  with  him." 

"But,"  Mrs.  Winterhalter  replied  to  this, 
"suppose  you  are  in  the  wrong?  Now  I 
have  no  more  suspicion  that  Perry  is  guilty 
of  theft  than  I  have  that  you  are.  Isn't 
it  a  cruel  thing  to  keep  him  in  such  a 
wretched  condition  ?  " 

Gilbert  was  incredulous,  and  attributed 
the  good  lady's  faith  in  Perry's  innocence 
to  her  "  good-hearted  ness,"  as  he  termed 


RACE   NUMBER   TWO.  237 

it ;  and  so  day  after  day  went  by,  till 
August  began  to  wane. 

Then  there  came  a  new  subject  of  com- 
ment and  speculation  for  the  Rainford  boys. 
Perry  heard  the  boys  of  his  class  eagerly 
discussing  the  matter,  and  little  by  little 
came  to  know  what  it  was  all  about.  But 
the  whole  substance  of  the  matter  was  this : 
Albert  Turner  came  to  Gilbert  on  one  of 
the  August  evenings,  and  placed  a  note  in 
his  hand,  saying,  — 

"  Here's  something  you'd  like  to  read, 
Captain.  Wait,  I'll  read  it  for  you.  Fred 
Moore  came  over  with  it." 

The  Boat  Club,  hearing  Moore's  name 
mentioned,  gathered  around  to  hear  their 
secretary  read,  — 

"  RIVEBSIDE,  Tuesday  Eve,  Angnst  25. 

f  The  RIVERSIDE  CLUB  present  their  com- 
pliments to  the  EAST-SIDE  CLUB,  and  re- 


238  GILBERT    STARE. 

spectfully  challenge  them  to  race  with  the 
boats  next  Saturday  afternoon'.  Mr.  Pres- 
cott  holds  the  prize-flag  yet,  and  will  en- 
deavor to  award  it  to  Captain  Starr's  sat- 
isfaction. If  the  Club  are  inclined  to  ac- 
cept, Captain  Forrest  would  like  to  meet 
Captain  Starr  on  Rainford  bridge  to-mor- 
row night,  with  peaceful  intentions. 
"Respectfully, 

' '  RIVERSIDE   CLUB  . ' ' 

"Well,  that's  cool  and  impudent,"  said 
Ray;  "after  what  has  happened,  I  should 
think  Forrest  had  better  keep  a  civil 
tongue  in  his  head.  Did  you  hear  that, 
Captain?  He  wishes  to  meet  you  with 
peaceful  intentions!  That's  Forrest's  work, 
plainly." 

'  Yes,"  said  the  secretary,  "  Forrest  al- 
ways writes  his  own  notes,  and  puts  what 
he  pleases  into  them.  And— do  you  see? 


RACE   NUMBEE   TWO.  239 

—  he  thinks  Mr.  Prescott  will  award  the 
flag  to  Captain  Starr's  satisfaction." 

"Forrest  is  smart;  you  can't  deny  that," 
said  Toin ;  "  and  for  my  part,  I'd  like  an- 
other tussle  with  his  men.  We  shall  be 
pretty  apt  to  bring  the  flag  back  with  us." 

"It  is  a  shame  that  our  flag  should  be 
that  side  of  the  river,"  said  Barry  White. 

"Well,  what  do  you  think?"  Ray  said, 
turning  to  Captain  Starr ;  "  we're  all  wait- 
ing to  hear." 

"I  said  I'd  never  race  with  them  again," 
said  Gilbert,  looking  over  the  note;  "but 
I  was  mad  then ;  and  I  would  like  to  whip 
Forrest  and  get  our  flag  again.  Next  Sat- 
urday. Let  me  see,  this  is  Tuesday  even- 
ing. There'll  be  three  evenings  for  prac- 
tice yet,  and  we  make  pretty  good  time 
now.  I  think  we  can  beat  them." 

"So  do  I!"  cried  Tom,  enthusiastically; 
"  and  even  if  we  can't,  don't  let's  allow 


240  GILBERT    STARR. 

our  flag  to  be  a  prisoner  without  making  a 
clash  for  it.  I  go  in  for  the  race." 

The  Club  seemed  to  be  unanimous  in 
this  declaration  of  Tom,  and  Gilbert  was 
not  decidedly  averse  to  racing. 

"Has  Moore  gone  back?"  he  asked. 

"I  left  him  by  the  hedge-gate,"  Al  Tur- 
ner said. 

"I'll  go  and  see,"  said  Tom,  hurrying  off. 

"If  he  is  here  yet,"  said  Gilbert,  "you 
shall  write  an  acceptance,  Al,  and  send  it 
back  by  him.  Tell  Forrest  I'll  meet  him 
with  peaceful  intentions,  and  say  we  accept 
Saturday  for  the  day,  and  so  on." 

The  secretary  ran  off  to  his  room  to 
write  the  note,  and  hardly  was  he  out  of 
sight  before  Tom  came  back,  saying,  — 

"I've  found  him;  he  was  just  going 
down  the  lawn  to  his  boat,  and  I  stopped 
him.  He  says  he'll  wait  five  minutes  for 
Al  to  do  his  scribbling  in." 


RACE    NUMBER    TWO.  241 

Within  that  time  the  note  was  written 
and  despatched  to  the  challengers.  So  the 
matter  was  decided,  and  there  was  another 
nice  in  prospect. 

Most  boys  like  excitement  and  novelty, 
and  Mr.  "Winterhalter's  were  no  exception. 
They  received  the  news  with  cheers,  and 
thought  Captain  Starr  a  "splendid  fellow," 
and  "good  for  Forrest  any  day." 

On  the  following  night,  Gilbert  went  to 
the  appointed  place  to  meet  his  rival. 
When  he  came  in  sight  of  the  long  stone 
bridge,  and  heard  the  waves  lapping  the 
piers,  saw  the  sky  stained  crimson,  the 
river  flashing  back  its  hues  far  up  and 
down  its  silvery  reach,  he  remembered, 
with  something  like  a  sigh,  how  on  just 
such  an  evening  a  little  figure  had  followed 
him  the  long,  long  path,  to  throw  itself 
in  the  way  of  his  own  wrong-doing.  He 

even  stopped  and  looked  behind  him,  hard- 
16 


242  GILBERT    STAKE. 

ly  knowing  why  he  did  so,  yet  half-expect- 
ing to  see  a  boy's  shadow  flit  out  of  sight. 

^w* 

Forrest  was  punctual,  and  the  two  cap- 
tains met  and  shook  hands  Avith  no  show 
of  dislike.  There  was  even  something  like 
cordiality  in  the  manner  in  which  Forrest 
put  his  hands  on  Gilbert's  shoulders,  say- 
ing, good-humoredly, — 

"  Shall  we  be  startled  out  of  our  senses 
by  having  a  little  fellow  drop  down  upon 
us  from  the  clouds  to-night?" 

"No,"  said  Gilbert,  gravely  enough; 
"we  sha'n't  be  molested  this  time,  I'll 
warrant." 

"But  who  was  the  little  chap?"  said 
Forrest ;  "he  seemed  wonderfully  fond  of 
you,  anyhow." 

"  Pshaw !  only  a  little  fellow  in  our  sec- 
ond class.  Let's  to  business." 

"  Agreed,"  said  Forrest,  and  to  business 
they  went. 


EACE   NUMBER   TWO.  243 

When   it  was   all    over,  and   Gilbert  was 

• 

walking  homeward  through  the  darkening 
meadows,  with  the  sky  all  sombre-suited, 
and  the  river  rolling  on  to  the  sea  with 
many  a  plashing  in  the  low  willow  boughs 
and  the  nodding  -rushes,  he  remembered 
how  a  little  figure  had  run  along  the  same 
dark  and  winding  path,  with  the  fireflies 
waving  about  it,  and  the  river-sounds  fill- 
ing its  ears,  and  it  was  all  for  him. 

"Oh,"  he  sighed  to  himself,  as  he  slowly 
wended  his  way,  "how  could  he  deceive 
me  so?  I  might  have  been  a  different 
fellow  now,  but  for  that.  It's  strange ; 
I  can't  understand  it  at  all, — he  was  so 
pure-hearted  and  simple,  I  thought.  And 
I  can  see  he  loves  me  yet,"  —  remembering 
how  he  had  been  covered  up  in  the  night, 
—  "though  how  he  can  is  a  mystery.  Oh, 
dear!  what  can  a  fellow  do?" 

There   was    boat-practice    the     next    two 


244  GILBERT   8TAER. 

evenings, — plenty  of  it.-  Gilbert  had  some 
trouble  to  get  his  men  in  at  nine  o'clock, 
they  were  so  anxious  for  the  work ;  but 
he  did  it,  and  Mr.  Winterhalter  was 
pleased  on  account  of  it.  Perhaps  this,  was 
the  reason  why  he  granted  the  Captain 
liberty  to  leave  his  lessons  at  three  o'clock, 
Friday  afternoon,  and  spend  the  remainder 
of  daylight  on  the  river  with  his  crew. 

They  came  up  the  dew-drenched  lawn 
that  night  at  nine,  boisterous  and  merry 
enough,  and  quite  confident  of  winning 
their  flag  on  the  morrow. 

'  We're  in  better  practise  than  ever  be- 
fore," Gilbert  had  said,  and  so  they  all 
thought ;  and  Tom  had  been  cracking  jokes, 
at  Mr.  Winterhalter' s  expense,  about  their 
three  weeks'  strife  for  perfect  lessons. 

"Why,"  said  he,  boisterously,  "put  Gil- 
bert Starr  against  Mr.  Winterhalter,  and 
wo  win  every  time !  Wouldn't  the  old  fel- 


liACE    NUMBER    TWO.  245 

low  scratch  his  head  in  amazement  to 
know  how  I  got  such  magnificent  lessons 
for  three  weeks  on  a  stretch?  And  — 
did  you  notice,  the  other  day? — he  turned 
back  to  those  very  lessons  for  a  review 
in  mathematics,  and,  of  course,  I  couldn't 
have  told  a  word  about  them  if  I  was  to 
swing  for  it.  Didn't  he  stare  !  Ha,  ha, 
ha !  I  thought  I  should  laugh  in  his  very 
face.  But  he  said  something  about  my 
having  a  '  relapse '  or  some  such  thing, 
and  so  passed  on." 

Now  Gilbert  could  not  bear  joking  upon 
this  subject.  The  words  stung  him.  He 
felt  mean  and  degraded  whenever  he 
thought  of  the  affair;  so  he  replied, 
quickly,  — 

"  Never  say  another  word  about  that 
matter,  Tom;  I  won't  hear  it!  I  think 
of  it  often  enough  without  having  you 
bawl  it  into  my  ears." 


240  GILBERT    STARK. 

"Why,  what  ails  it?"  Tom  asked,  quite 
as  quick!}1". 

"It  was  your  own  plan,"  said  Bob  Up- 
ham. 

"  I  know  that,"  Gilbert  answered  ;  "  but 
that  don't  make  it  any  better.  It  was  a 
mean  trick  to  serve  Mr.  Winterhalter,  any- 
how. It  was  a  downright  lie  !  " 

"Lie!"  "Mean!"  hissed  the  club,  in- 
dignantly. 

"Yes;  both  of  them.  I  didn't  think  of 
it  at  first,  but  I  think  so  now.  There  was 
no  honor  about  it." 

Ray,  who  was  a  peacemaker  for  policy's 
sake,  now  interposed  with  a  question  to 
Tom,  which  quite  turned  that  young  gen- 
tleman's thoughts  from  dispute. 

"Well,"  thought  Eay,  as  they  all  went 
up-stairs  to  bed,  "  Gilbert's  thinking  just 
as  much  as  ever,  though  he  pretends  not 
to  be ;  and  by  and  by  he'll  just  boil  over 


KACE    NUMBER   TWO.  247 

with  his  new  notions,  and  then  there'll  be 
a  terrible  row !  The  boys'll  fight  against 
'em,  he'll .  stick  to  'em  like  death,  and 
down  he'll  come  with  a  great  crash,  and  — 
oh,  dear!  I  wish  I  knew  what  to  do  with 
the  fellow."  And  when,  after  all  the  rest 
were  abed  and  the  lamp  was  out,  he 
chanced  to  look  up  from  his  pillow  and 
saw  in  the  dim  light  that  Gilbert  had  not 
retired,  but  sat  on  the  foot  of  his  bed  in 
an  apparently  deep  reverie,  he  got  up  in 
sheer  desperation  and  pattered  across  the 

» . 

floor  to  say, — . 

"Now,  Gil,  do  go  to  bed  like  a  good 
fellow,  and  stop  your  everlasting  thinking. 
You'll  think  yourself  crazy,  and  there'll 
be  a  pretty  muss !  You  aren't  ready  to 
go  ?  Then  I  won't  go,  either,  but  I'll  sit 
here  just  to  bother  you  and  stop  your 
thinking-machinery.  I  don't  care  if  you 
don't  like  it ;  if  you  won't  take  care  of 


248  GILBERT    STARR. 

yourself,  I  suppose  I've  got  to  make  \i\t 
my  mind  to  the  task ; "  and  with  that  he 
was  as  good  as  his  word,  and  sat  down 
beside  Gilbert  with  a  mock  sigh  of  resig- 
nation. 

Gilbert  held  his  temper,  and  after  a  long 
silence,  said,  — 

''  "Well,  I  suppose  you  mean  we'll,  Ray, 
but  you've  a  queer  way  of  showing  it, 
sometimes.  I  wish  you'd  let  me  aloiic, 
but  since  you  won't,  I'll  go  to  bed.  Are 
you  satisfied?" 

"Yes,  or  will  be  when  I  see  you  keep 
your  promise,"  and  would  not  leave  till 
he  saw  Gilbert's  head  on  the  pillow. 

Saturday  dawned  quite  as  clear  as  did 
the  day  of  the  first  race.  As  there  was 
no  school  on  the  last  day  of  the  week, 
the  boys  were  at  liberty  to  choose  their 
own  time  for  the  race ;  accordingly,  the 
hour  had  been  set  at  ten  in  the  forenoon. 


RACE    NUMBER   TWO.  249 

As  a  particular  favor,  Mr.  Winterhalter's 
boys  were  to  be  allowed  to  cross  over  to 
the  Riverside  shore,  as  there  the  best  view 
could  be  obtained,  and  there  were  gener- 
ally enough  seats  for  all.  To  keep  his 
community  from  quarrelling  with  their 
neighbors  of  the  other  shore,  the  gentle- 
man himself,  with  some  of  the  teachers, 
was  to  accompany  them-.  Perhaps  —  it 
v.as  rumored — Mrs.  Winterhalter  herself 
would  go,  and  it  was  to  be  a  general  hol- 
iday for  the  schools  and  teachers  of  both 
sides. 

With  the  prospect  of  such  an  array  of 
spectators,  you  may  be  sure  the  Boat  Club 
were  more  anxious  than  ever  to  redeem 
their  flag.  Numberless  journeys  were  made 
between  the  lawn  and  the  "  Triton,"  in 
order  to  be  certain  that  the  boat  lacked 
nothing  necessary  to  make  victory  sure, 
and  some  of  the  Club  were  even  dressed 


230  GILIJEKT    STARR. 

and  ready  before  breakfast.  At  nine,  the 
boats  which  always  lay  at  the  foot  of  the 
lawn  were  brought  up  to  the  wharf,  and 
received  their  first  loads,  which  were 
slowly  ferried  over.  It  was  too  long  a 
walk,  everybody  thought,  to  go  up  to 
Ilainford  bridge,  and  so  follow  the  river 
down  the  other  side ;  and  when  boats  were 
plenty,  the  river  smooth,  and  oarsmen  in 
abundance,  why  not  ride? 

Ned  Rogers,  who  still  had  a  patronizing 
word  for  Perry,  searched  everywhere  till 
he  found  him  in  his  old  refuge  under  the 
syringas. 

"Now,"  said  he,  with  a  very  indignant 
expression,  "if  you  aren't  too  bad  to  go 
and  hide  away  in  this  style !  I've  a  good 
mind  not  to  show  you  what  I've  got  for 
you."  But  presently  he  thought  better  of 
it,  seeing  that  Perry  had  not  much  interest 
in  the  matter,  and  disclosed  a  bit  of  gay 


RACE   NUMBER   TWO.  251 

sccarlet  ribbon,  the  counterpart  of  a  piece 
•which  fluttered  from  one  of  the  button- 
holes of  his  jacket.  "Look,"  he  ex- 
claimed, "  and  see  what  I've  got  for  you ! 
The  boys  will  be  all  mixed  up  to-day,  you 
know,  and  so  our  boys  wear  red  in  their 
button-holes,  like  the  Club  uniform,  and 
Roth's  boys  wear  blue.  That's  so  we  can 
tell  who  belongs  to  our  side,  you  know. 
Now  you  wouldn't  have  had  any  if  I  had- 
n't made  Gilbert  give  me  two  pieces  when 
he  was  cutting  up  that  long  roll.  Why 
don't  you  take  it?" 

"I'm  not  going  to  the  race,"  said  Perry, 
declining  the  offered  badge.  • 

" Not  going!  Why — what — how — Mrs. 
Winterhalter ! "  catching  a  glimpse  of  that 
lady's  dress  sweeping  past  the  piazza-rail, 
"  here's  Perry  Kent,  and  he  says  he  isn't 
going  to  the  race,  when  everybody's  going, 
and  there's  going  to  be  nobody  left  at  home  !" 


252  GILBERT    STARR. 

"Is  that  so,  Perry?"  said  the  lady, 
stopping  to  look  over.  '  Why,  all  the 
boys  will  be  there,  Mr.  Winterhalter  and 
I,  the  teachers,  and  the  race  will  look 
nicely  from  Riverside.  You  will  miss  a 
great  deal  if  you  stay  here.  Come,  tie 
the  ribbon  in  your  button-hole,  and  run 
down  to  the  .wharf  with  Ned." 

Perry  had  not  the  least  inclination  to 
go,  and  would  much  rather  have  stayed 
in  the  quiet  at  home ;  but  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter  said, — 

"It's  bad  for  boys  to  be  always  sitting 
still  and  not  running  about.  Get  your 
hat,  Perry ,•  and  run  down  to  the  boat 
with  Ned, — they're  about  to  put  off, — 
and  go  over  to  Riverside  and  enjoy  your- 
self." 

Perry  did  as  he  was  ordered,  and  at 
ten  o'clock  found  himself  on  a  high  wharf 
or  platform,  which  ran  out  over  the  river, 


RACE    NUMBER   TWO.  253 

with   a   full   view   of   the   whole    river-side 
and   all  its  gay  crowd. 

The  number  of  spectators  at  the  first 
race  was  nothing  in  comparison  with  those 
now  assembled.  They  filled  all  the  benches 
along  the  water's  edge,  they  sat  in  boats 
anchored  a  little  way  from  shore,  they 
were  crowded  together  upon  the  little 
wharves  which  pushed  out  from  the  river- 
edge.  The  school-boys  were  everywhere, — 
in  the  tree-tops,  on  the  roofs  of  boat- 
houses,  and  crowded  in  among  other  spec- 
tators. Where  Perry  stood,  there  was  a 
great  number  of  his  schoolmates,  with  a 
sprinkling  of  the  Professor's  blue-ribboned 
boj's,  and  from  their  high  station  over  the 
water  they  could  look  down  upon  the  heads 
of  those  who  had  seats  on  the  river-brink. 
Perry  could  see  Mrs.  Winterhalter  down 
there,  and  —  yes,  actually  with  a  red  rib- 
bon fluttering  from  the  tip  of  her  parasol ! 


254  GILBERT    STARK. 

Who  would  have  thought  it?  And  next 
her  sat  a  large,  richly-dressed  lady,  whose 
parasol  was  likewise  ornamented  with  rib- 
bon, but  its  shade  was  blue  instead  of  the 
Rainford  boys'  color.  This  lady,  so  Ned 
presently  whispered,  was  Mrs.  Roth,  and 
that  tall,  stout  man,  a  little  behind  her, 
was  the  Professor  himself,  and  by  his  side 
stood  Mr.  Winterhalter,  and  there  were 
Rainford  people  all  about  them,  some  wear- 
ing one  color  and  some  another,  and  all 
making  a  very  gay  sight.  People  took  a 
great  deal  of  interest  in  the  boys'  pleas- 
ures, after  all,  Perry  thought.  He  could 
see  Mr.  Prescott  stepping  briskly  about, 
wearing  a  business-like  face,  while  in  his 
button-hole  the  colors  of  the  two  Clubs 
were  blended,  to  show  that  he  was  par- 
tial toward  neither.  The  hum  of  conver- 
sation grew  louder  and  louder,  till  at  last 
it  deepened  into  a  cheer  from  the  friends 


RACE   NUMBER   TWO.  255 

of  the  Riverside  Club  as  they  rowed  out 
and  took  their  place.  Gilbert's  crew,  of 
course,  had  to  come  from  the  other  side, 
and  as  they  advanced  to  the  starting-place, 
were  greeted  with  quite  as  warm  a  wel- 
come as  their  rivals  had  been.  A  few 
more  minutes  of  waiting  and  expectation, 
then  the  boats  started.  Forrest's  friends 
on  shore  threw  him  back  a  parting  cheer, 
as  the  "Mermaid"  glided  swiftly  and  grace- 
fully down  stream,  and  Gilbert's  friends, 
on  the  high  platform  where  Perry  stood, 
not  to  be  outdone,  cheered  him  vocifer- 
ously. Certainly,  if  the  race  could  have 
been  won  by  shouting,  both  boats  would 
have  stood  nearly  an  equal  chance  for  vic- 
tory. But  as  it  was  to  be  won  by  hard 
pulling,  the  two  crews  bent  their  oars  and 
sped  away,  the  cheers  serving  to  make 
them  remember  that  some  hundreds  of 
hearts  were  wishing  them  victory. 


25 G  GILBERT    STARR. 

The  sun  was  not  yet  high  enough  to  be 
oppressively  warm,  but  it  gilded  the  river 
like  one  long  roadway  of  fretted  silver, 
whereon  the  two  black  lines  sailed  down, 
one  touched  with  red,  the  other  with  blue. 
Anxious  eyes  followed  them,  the  more  for- 
tunate peering  through  spy-glasses ;  and 
when  they  were  so  far  down  that  to  the 
naked  eye  they  did  not  seem  to  move, 
but  lay  motionless,  those  who  had  aids  to 
their  vision  reported  that  they  had  turned 
the  stake-boat,  and  the  "Mermaid"  seemed 
to  have  the  start. 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

HONORS. 

~I)ACK  up  the  river,  with  steady  strokes, 
*-*  came  the  boats,  eagerly  watched  by 
the  hundreds  of  eyes  on  shore  as  they 
slowly  began  to  assume  size  and  propor- 
tion. A  whisper  had  flown  to  the  ears 
of  Gilbert's  friends  that  the  "Mermaid" 
was  ahead,  and  none  were  more  eager  than 
they  to  discover  the  truth  of  the  rumor. 
Eufe  Fitch  even  had  the  courage,  under 
the  circumstances,  to  go  down  from  the 
high  platform  where  he  stood,  and  beg 
a  look  at  the  "boats  through  Mr.  Winter- 
halter's  spy-glass,  that  he  might  report  to 

the   anxious   gazers   who   were   huddled  to- 
17 


258  GILBERT   STAKE. 

gether  with  him.  The  Principal  granted 
his  request,  and  Kufe  went  back  to  his 
friends,  jubilant. 

-  "  It's  no  such  thing,"  he  said,  in  reply 
to  the  questioning  faces  which  were  turned 
toward  him  as  he  scrambled  back  on  the 
platform;  "  Gilbert's  plump  up  with  'em, 
and  not  lagging  a  bit !  They've  got  so  far 
back  that  I  could  see  as  plain  as  day 
through  the  glass.  Hurrah  for  our  side!" 

Oil  and  up  till  the  oars  began  to  gleam 
ruddily,  till  the  drops  began  to  sparkle, 
and  they  could  see  the  rowers  bending  to 
their  task  with  a  will.  Both  boats  abreast, 
and  each  striving  to  gain  a  few  inches, 
working,  as  only  boys  will  work,  for  vic- 
tory and  honor. 

"  Oh,"  said  Sam  Copp,  excitedly,  "  but 
Gil's  got  to  stir  himself  if  we  get  our  flag ! 
If  s  only  Tom  Fowler's  arms  that  can  save 
us  now." 


HONORS.  259 

So  all  Mr.  Winterhalter's  boys  thought, 
and  even  the  Principal  himself  observed, 
smilingly,  to  the  Professor, — 

"  It  bids  fair  to  be  an  even  race,  sir. 
Abreast,  and  not  many  hundred  yards 
more.  My  head-boy  will  feel  terribly  mor- 
tified to  have  to  leave  the  flag  behind." 

But  it  was  quite  certain  that  Mr.  Win- 
tcrhaltcr  did  not  understand  Tom  Fowler 
as  well  as  his  pupils  did,  for  they  gazed 
breathlessly  at  the  racers,  confidently  ex- 
pecting to  see  their  Captain's  boat  shoot 
ahead  on  the  last  hundred  yards.  What 
anxious  waiting  it  was  !  How  the  owners 
of  the  blue  and  red  ribbons  looked  defi- 
antly in  each  other's  faces,  each  confident 
of  t;ie  other's  discomfiture ! 

"Oh,  why  don't  the  'Triton'  begin  to 
gain?"  cried  Rufe  Fitch,  almost  in  de- 
spair ;  "  there  can't  be  more  than  a  hun- 
dred yards  left!" 


260  GILBERT    STARR. 

"It  isn't  going  to  gain  at  all,"  said  one 
of  the  blue-ribboned  fellows  who  stood  by ; 
"  you'll  sec  it  drop  behind  pretty  quick." 

But  Rufe  was  belligerent,  and  would  lis- 
ten to  no  such  words,  and  the  red-ribbons 
being  in  the  majority  on  the  platform,  the 
rival  party  were  obliged  to  keep  their  en- 
joyment to  themselves. 

"They're  just  abreast!"  "Both  come 
in  at  the  same  time."  t(  Well-matched  ! " 
etc.,  were  the  exclamations  which 'trembled 
on  everybody's  lips.  Just  then  Captain 
Starr's  boat  suddenly  shot  a  little  ahead — 
merely  a  trifle — but  the  next  stroke  told 
so  perceptibly  that  his  friends  on  shore 
were  in  ecstasies.  It  seemed  as  if  Tom 
Fowler  had  been  waiting  for  just  such  an 
emergency  as  this  to  show  his  strength, 
for  now  every  stroke  carried  the  boat  a 
little  in  advance  of  the  "  Mermaid,"  and 


HONORS.  261 

..• 

Forrest's  crew  could  not  keep  their  places. 
The  red-ribboned  boys  were  exultant. 

"Hurrah  for  Tom  Fowler!"  cried  Rufe, 
gleefully  throwing  up  his  hat;  and  chiming 
in  with  him,  the  friends  of  the  "  Triton" 
made  the  river-side  ring.  Tom,  out  on 
the  river,  heard  it,  and  nerved  himself  for 
one  last  grand  effort,  saying,  "  Now  for 
it,  boys!" 

The  spectators  watched  eagerly,  For- 
rest's friends  hoping  to  see  his  crew  gain 
their  lost  ground;  but  they  were  disap- 
pointed, for  his  men  had  been  rowing  their 
best  for  the  last  quarter-mile,  and  could  do 
nothing  better.  So,  on  the  last  stroke, 
the  "  Triton "  swept  in  grandly  past  the 
stakes,  a  full  half-length  ahead,  and  won 
the  victory ! 

Then,  you  may  be  sure,  there  was  a 
shout.  Up  and  down  Riverside  the  hur- 
rahs rang,  the  handkerchiefs  fluttered,  and 


262  GILBERT    STARE.' 

V 

hands  were  clapped  in  applause.  And 
when  the  first  burst  had  died  away,  Mr. 
"VVintcrhalter's  boys  took  it  up  and  made 
the  welkin  ring  again,  which  last  shout 
was  more  an  exultation  over  their  blue-rib- 
boned rivals  than  for  the  victors. 

The  Roth  boys  looked  chagrined  and  dis- 
appointed. They  had  counted  on  their 
Captain's  success  as  certain,  and  now  he 
had  lost  the  race  by  half  a  length !  It 
was  too  bad,  they  thought,  and  the  victo- 
rious cheers  grated  on  their  cars. 

Professor  Roth  laughed  good-humoredly, 
at  the  defeat  of  his  boys,  and  hinted  that 
he  must  try  and  persuade  that  wonderful 
oarsman  to  take  up  his  abode  on  the  Riv- 
erside bank  of  the  town.  "And,  by  the 
way,  who  is  he?"  he  inquired. 

"  I  really  don't  know,"  said  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter,  smiling  at  his  own  ignorance ; 
"  I  didn't  know  we  had  such  a  powerful- 


HONORS.  2C3 

armed  fellow  in  school.  Rufus,"  to  the 
boy  above  on  the  platform,  "  to  whom  are 
we  indebted  for  this  victory?" 

'  Tom  Fowler  !"  said  Rufe,  not  in  a  whis- 
per, by  any  means;  "he's  the  fellow  that 
did  it.  Hasn't  he  got  arms,  sir?"  And 
then  Tom's  name  was  whispered  about 
among  the  crowd  and  praised  in  a  man- 
ner that  would  have  gratified  him  vastly, 
could  he  have  heard  it;  but  it  was  quite 
as  well  that  he  could  not,  since  he  had 
already  a  sufficiently  high  opinion  of  his 
strength  and  prowess. 

Perry  witnessed  Gilbert's  victory  from 
his  high  station  over  the  water,  with  a 
glad  heart.  It  was  pleasant  to  have  him 
a  victor,  though  he  hated  and  despised 
himself,  and  he  wished,  with  a  suddenly 
heavy  heart,  that  he  might  tell  him  how 
glad  he  was  at  the  success,  that  he  might 
rejoice  nnd  be  merry  with  him,  as  Gil- 


264  GILBERT    STARR. 

bert  would  once  have  been  happy  to  have 
him  do.  He  looked  down  in  the  cool, 
dark  depths  of  the  river  under  him,  wish- 
ing sorrowfully  that  there  was  some  re- 
fuge—  a  home,  such  as  other  boys  had — 
where  he  might  flee  from  all  this  suspicion 
and  disgrace  and  persecution,  and  be  quiet 
and  happy.  And  oh,  if  mamma  were  .only 
back  to  comfort  him  and  tell  him  what  to 
do !  Perhaps  she  knew,  perhaps  she  saw, 
and  longed  to  comfort  him,  and  knew  when 
the  end  of  this  dark,  dark  day  would  be, 
he  thought ;  and  God  did  know,  and  would 
bring  all  right  sometime ;  but,  oh !  when 
was  the  end  to  be?  How  could  a  weak 
little  boy  bear  it  any  longer? — bear  the 
neglect  and  loathing,  the  tyranny,  the 
disappointment  of  waiting  for  days  which 
brought  no  trace  of  the  mystery's  solution? 
The  victors  and  vanquished  rowed  shore- 
ward side  by  side,  amid  the  applause  of 


HONORS.  265 

the  whole  assembly.  Boys  never  tire  of 
cheering,  at  least  the  Rainford  boys  never 
did,  and  thought  they  could  not  shower 
too  many  honors  upon  Captain  Starr  and 
his  crew.  The  two  Clubs  made  a  pretty 
sight  as  they  came  slowly  up  to  the  point 
where  Mr.  Prescott  stood  unfurling  the 
crimson  flag,  preparatory  to  making  his 
speech,  the  bright  shadows  of  their  jaunty 
uniforms  trailing  below  them  in  the  water, 
oar  keeping  stroke  with  oar,  and,  as  they 
came  up  to  the  landing,  Forrest  politely 
fell  back  and  allowed  'his  victorious  rival 
to  take  precedence. 

"You  may  have  the  strongest  boys," 
said  the  Professor's  wife  to  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter,  as  she  observed  this,  "but  I  think 
our  head-boy  will  out-rank  them  all  for 
politeness." 

"  Perhaps  so,"  said  that  good  lady,  with 
a  smile ;  "  yet  I  have  seen  our  Gilbert 


2G6  GILBERT   STARR. 

Starr  do  some  brave  tilings."  And  pres- 
ently the  Professor's  wife  had  reason  to 
agree  with  her. 

As  the  boats  came  to  a  stand-still,  there 
was  a  great  stir  among  the  crowd  to  get 
where  they  could  'see  the  presentation  and 
hear  what  Mr.  Prescott  would  say.  The 
two  principals'  ladies  left  their  chairs,  and 
stood  as  near  the  railing  at  the  river-edge 
as  possible,  and  the  Professor  and  Mr. 
TTinterhalter  were  near  by,  looking  over. 
Behind  them  the  crowd  pressed  up  close, 
a  confusion  of  heads  and  faces,  all  anxious 
to  see  and  hear.  Mr.  Prescott  shook  out 
the  handsome  pennon,  gave  the  necessary 
"Ahem!"  and  opened  his  mouth  to  speak. 

Just  then  the  crowd  on  the  high  plat- 
form over  the  river  pressed  forward  to  get 
a  better  view,  pushing  and  elbowing  as 
only  boys  will,  and  clamoring  for  the  best 
place. 


HOXORS.  267 

"Here,  get  out  of  the  way,  Sam,"  said 
Rufe  Fitch ;  "I  can't  see  through  your 

head." 

• 

"I  can't  stir,  there's  such  a  crowd!" 
said  Sam;  and  spying  Perry,  who  had 
a  good,  though  rather  pressed  position, 
against  the  rail, — which  was  the  only  pro- 
tection from  tumbling  off,  —  he  exclaimed, 
"  Here,  you  Perry  Kent !  get  out  o'  that, 
and  let  me  have  that  place.  I  want  to 
see  what's  going  on." 

Probably  he  would  have  forced  Perry 
away,  had  sufficient  tune  been  given  him, 
but  at  that  instant  there  was  a  warning 
crack  and  tremble  of  the  railing,  it  shook, 
wavered,  gave  away,  and  before  he  could 
realize  what  had  happened,  Perry  felt  him- 
self without  support,  falling  —  with  a  quick, 
awful  shiver  benumbing  him  from  head  to 
foot  —  down,  down,  down ! 

That   crash   stopped  the   words    on    Mr. 


268  GILBERT    STARR. 

Prescott's  lips.  All  eyes  were  turned  in 
the  direction  of  the  sound  just  in  time  to 
see  the  crowd  of  boys  fall  back,  and  two 
figures  topple  over.  A  great  hush,  broken 
only  by  one  shrill  scream  from  Mrs.  Roth's 
lips,  fell  instantly  on  the  crowd  on  the 
river-bank ;  there  was  a  splash  and  spatter 
of  the  water,  then  an  awful  silence,  then 
two  white  faces  came  up  to  light  and  air 
after  what  had  seemed  an  age.  One  of 
the  figures  threw  up  its  hands,  and  after  a 
few  wild  efforts,  went  through  with  the 
motions  of  swimming,  and  floated;  the 
other  went  down  almost  as  soon  as  it  had 
seen  the  light. 

The  men  on  the  bank,  you  must  remem- 
ber, were  shut  in  by  the  railing  and  the 
crowd ;  and  it  had  all  happened  so  sud- 
denly that  every  one's  senses  seemed  to 
have  forsaken  him. 

Captain  Starr's  boat  was  nearest  the  spot, 


HONORS.  269 

and  perhaps  he  alone,  of  all  the  spectators, 
knew  whose  face  it  was  that  canie  up  and 
sank  so  suddenly.  Without  a  thought, 
before  any  one  else  had  recovered  their 
presence  of  mind,  and  so  swiftly  that  no 
one  really  saw  wljo  it  was,  the  "  Triton" 
had  shook  from  stem  to  stern,  and  a  red- 
jacketed  figure  flashed  down  into  the  dark, 
shadowy  water,  out  of  sight.  Mrs.  Win- 
terhalter  gasped  out  to  her  husband, — 

'  That  —  that  —  was  —  was  Gil  —  "  and 
here  lost  her  voice  entirely.  The  Profes- 
sor's wife  sank  down  by  her  side,  hiding 
her  face,  and  the  whole  crowd  were  fairly 
breathless  in  those  swift  seconds. 

The  red  jacket  came  up  panting,  with 
one  scarlet  arm  thrown  about  a  little  figure, 
and  after  a  few  seconds  of  bobbing  up 
and  down  and  catching  for  breath,  slowlj 
struck  out  for  shore  with  its  burden. 

Then  there  was  help  enough !     Now  that 


270  GILBERT   STARR. 

the  crisis  was  past,  and  the  danger  nearly 
over,  people  bethought  themselves  and  be- 
gan to  stir.  Somebody  got  over  the  rail- 
ing and  pushed  out  with  a  boat  to  meet 
the  rescued  and  rescuer;  and  then  Mrs. 
Winterhalter  exclaimed,  in  a  voice  trem- 
bling with  thankfulness, — 

"  It's  Gilbert  Starr,  and  he's  saved 
Perry  Kent!" 

The  man  in  the  boat  took  the  limp, 
drenched  figure  from  Gilbert's  hold,  and 
laid  it  down  on  the  floor. 

Then  Captain  Starr  swam  back  to  the 
other  figure,  which  was  none  other  than 
Sam  Copp,  and  succeeded  in  aiding  the 
frightened  and  bewildered  boy  up  to  the 
boat's  side,  and  over.  Then,  with  the  aid 
of  the  boatman,  Gilbert  clambered  in  all 
wet  and  dripping,  and  by  this  time  fatigued 
enough  with  his  exertions  and  the  weight 
of  his  soaked  clothes.  Copp  sank  down 


RESCUE   OF   PERRY   KENT.     Page  270. 


HONORS.  271 

on  the  boat's  bottom,  looking  faint  and  ex- 
hausted. Something  bright  and  glittering 
slid  from  his  pocket  as  he  did  so,  and 
rolled  into  the  puddle  of  water  which  gath- 
ered from  their  trickling  garments.  Gil- 
bert saw  it,  picked  it  up,  and  mechanically 
put  it  in  his  pocket,  without  thinking  or 
looking  to  see  what  it  might  be ;  and,  as 
they  touched  the  stone  steps  on  the  river- 
edge,  he  took  Perry  up  and  sprang  out. 
A  hundred  hands  were  ready  to  take  his 
burden,  —  it  seemed  as  if  almost  that  num- 
ber caught  and  helped  him  up  the  steps. 
The  first  person  he  saw  was  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter,  tears  and  smiles  struggling  for  the 
mastery  in  her  face.  "Oh,  Gilbert!"  was 
all  she  could  say,  and  threw  her  arms  about 
his  wet  shoulders  as  if  she  had  been  his 
own  mother.  Then  the  Professor's  wife 

% 

stood  next  to  greet  him,  and  then  the  Pro- 
fessor 'himself  and  Mr.  Wiuterhalter  got 


272  GILBERT   STARR. 

each  a  hand,  and  spoke  so  many  earnest, 
thankful  words  that  Gilbert  began  to  think 
he  had  done  something.  Somehow,  there 
were  so  many-  crowding  about  him,  it  was 
quite  impossible  to  get  beyond  those  stone 
steps.  People  wanted  to  shake  hands  and 
congratulate  him,  and  would  have  their 
own  way,  and  so  he  leaned  against  the 
railing  and  shook  hands  till  his  arm  ached, 
and  received  so  much  praise  and  admiration 
that,  at  any  other  time,  he  might  have  suf- 
fered by  it.  But  he  felt  very  sober  now, 
and  not  at  all  elated.  He  shivered  when 
he  thought  of  Perry  Kent,  and  wondered 
where  they  had  carried  him. 

"  Give  me  your  hand,  Starr ! "  said  Mr. 
Prescott,  making  his  way  through  the 
crowd ;  "  such  an  act  is  /worth  more  than  all 
the  boat  victories  in  the  universe  ! "  and  it 
seemed  as  if  he  would  never  have  done 
shaking  and  pressing  the  Captain's  hand. 


HONORS.  273 

Then  there  came  some  of  the  Rainford 
town-people  to  see  him,  and  a  great  crowd 
of  the  lower  classes  in  his  own  school,  and 
quantities  of  Roth's  boys,  till  he  began  to 
despair  of  getting  away  unless  he  beat  a 
retreat  back  to  his  own  boat.  And  as  he 
turned  about  with  some  such  thought  in 
his  head,  Ray  Hunter  came  bounding  up 
the  steps  from  the  ".Triton,"  having  lost  his 
patience  waiting  for  the  Captain's  return. 
Ray's  eyes  actually  sparkled  through  tears. 

'  Thank  God,  you're  safe  and  sound,  old 
fellow !  "  he  cried ;  "  I  thought  I'd  looked 
my  last  at  you  for  two  seconds.  Gil,  I 
say,  —  what  a  fellow  you  are  !  —  and  ain't 
I  proud  of  you !  Why,  this  is  a  perfect 
ovation ! " 

Ray  kept  his  friend's  wet  hand,  and 
stood  by  him  all  through  the  remainder  of 
the  crowding  to  see  the  Captain,  and  was 
18 


274  GILBERT    STARR. 

as  proud  and  happy  as  though  all  the  honor 
was  his  own. 

Mrs.  Winterhalter  came  back  to  Gilbert 
presently,  saying,  — 

"  Perry  has  revived,  and  is  a  great  deal 
better ;  he's  shocked,  more  than  injured, 
the  doctor  says..  Mr.  Wintcrhalter  has  or- 
dered a  carriage  to  take  him  home,  and 
we  want  you  to  go,  —  you  look  tired 
enough  to,  I'm  sure." 

Before  he  could  reply,  there-  came  a  great 
cry  of  "Starr!"  "Starr!"  and,  looking 
up,  there  was  Mr.  Prescott  waiting  for  him 
to  come  up  after  the  flag.  Gilbert  had  ac- 
tually forgotten  all  about  it ! 

''  Thank  you ;  but  I'll  go  home  in  the 
'Triton,'"  he  said,  and  was  about  to  hurry 
away,  when  the  good  lady  gently  detained 
him. 

ff  You  can't  go  now,  I  see,"  she  said, 
"  and  I'm  sorry  we  can't  stay  to  see  you 


HONORS.  275 

take  the  flag;  but  haven't  you  a  word  now 
for  —  for  that  little  fellow  you  saved  from 
death?" 

Gilbert's  heart  said  quickly,  "  Forgive  * 
him  !  — send  him  a  kind  word ;  "  but  from 
his  lips,  "I  can't!  —  don't  ask  me!"  and 
then  he  hurried  off  to  receive  his  flag  in 
answer  to  repeated  calls  from  all  direc- 
tions. 

How  the  shouts  and  cheers  went  up  as 
he  stepped  before  Mr.  Prescott !  The  whole 
river-side  rang,  and  the  applause  came  from 
every  one's  lips,  —  from  Forrest  and  his 
crew  as  well,  —  and  when  he  heard  it,  Mr. 
Prescott  gave  up  all  thoughts  of  a  speech. 
What  good  could  a  speech  do?  Wet,  drip- 
ping, with  his  uniform  clinging  to  his  limbs, 
Gilbert  stood  there,  not  an  elegant  figure, 
to  be  sure,  but  a  hero  in  everybody's  eyes ! 

After  this  presentation  the  crowd  dis- 
persed rapidly.  Boat  after  boat-load  of 


27G  GILBERT    STARE. 

Mr.  Winterhaltcr's  boys  were  ferried  across 
the  river.  Gilbert,  by  this  time,  was  get- 
ting chilly  and  weary,  and  glad  enough 
that  it  was  time  to  go  home.  As  he  came 
down  the  stone  steps  to  take  his  place  in 
the  "Triton,"  he  met  Forrest,  who  was 
just  landing  from  his  own  boat.  The  Pro- 
fessor's head-boy  gave  him  a  hug,  regard- 
less of  his  nice  blue  jacket. 

"You  and  I  can't  aiford  to  be  enemies  if 
we  are  rivals,"  said  he,  earnestly  enough. 
"  I'm  proud  to  have  you  whip  me  at  racing. 
Why,  my  fellows  didn't  think  you  was 
made  of  such  stuff,  but  now  I  expect  I 
shall  lose  my  rank  unless  I  do  something 
that's  equal  to  it  in  their  eyes  !  And,"  he 
added,  laughing,  "  what  a  propensity  that 
little  fellow  has  for  coming  down  steep 
places ;  but  he'd  have  drowned,  as  sure  as 
a  shot,  but  for  you.  Come,  say  we're 
friends,  and  let's  stick  to  it." 


HONORS.  277 

Gilbert  took  Forrest's  offered  hand,  and 
then  got  into  his  boat,  where  his  friends  gave 
him  a  boisterous  welcome ;  then  they  rowed 
homeward  as  fast  as  possible,  for  the  Cap- 
tain's teeth  began  to  chatter,  even  though 
the  sun  shone  warm  and  full  upon  him. 


CHAPTER    XIV. 

MAKING    EESTITUTION. 

A  T  the  little  wharf  Gilbert's  friends  were 
•*•?*•  congregated,  waiting  for  him  to  re- 
turn. Never  had  Mr.  Winterhalter's  boys 
been  prouder  of  their  leader,  or  more  anx- 
ious to  show  their  delight  and  affection ; 
so,  when  he  stepped  from  the  "  Triton," 
they  gathered  about  him,  not  boisterous 
or  clamorous,  but  quite  soberly,  express- 
ing their  feelings  by  warm  grasps  of  the 
hand,  or  in  those  frank,  blunt  words 
which  are  generally  at  the  end  of  boys' 
tongues.  Ray,  proud  and  happy,  stood  by 
his  friend,  and  thought  Gilbert  had  never 


MAKING    RESTITUTION.  279 

looked  so  handsome  and  manly  as  at  that 
moment  and  in  that  drenched  and  clinging 
uniform.  It  became  him  better,  he  thought, 
than  a  prince's  rich  garments  and  royal 
garb  could  ever  have  done.  Then  he  re- 
membered that  it  would  never  do  for  him 
to  stand  there  in  such  a  wet  plight,  and 
turning  hastily  to  the  boys,  exclaimed, — 

"Come,  this  never' 11  do.  Don't  you 
sec  the  Captain's  freezing  to  death  while 
you're  shaking  hands  and  chattering  so? 
Come,  Gil,  you'll  catch  your  death  of  cold. 
Let  the  hand-shaking  and  all  that  sort  of 
thing  go  till  you're  warm  and  dry."  And 
with  this  he  pulled  his  friend  away  and 
hurried  him  up  the  lawn,  the  boys  strag- 
gling after  them. 

The  carriage  which  conveyed  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Winterhalter  and  Perry  from  River- 
side, rolled  away  from  the  front  entrance 
just  as  the  two  came  on  to  the  lawn. 


280  GILBERT    STARR. 

Gilbert  shivered  harder  than  ever  when 
he  saw  it,  remembering  how  near  death 
his  former  protege  had  been,  thinking  how 
that  white  face  looked  as  it  came  up 
through  the  dark  water,  wondering  what 
prompted  him  to  throw  himself  after  it  so 
suddenly.  If  it  had  not  been  for  his  cold, 
shivering  state,  his  trickling  garments,  and 
the  sense  of  fatigue  which  caused  him  to 
lean  on  Ray's  good  arm,  it  would  all  have 
seemed  but  a  dream  to  him.  The  pale, 
appealing  face  flashing  suddenly  into  sight, 
his  own  quick  spring  after  it  down  into 
the  dark  and  bubbling  depths,  the  seconds 
of  buffeting  the  water  with  his  burden, — 
all  seemed  to  him  now  like  the  vague,  in- 
distinct actions  of  a  half-forgotten  dream. 
The  two  went  in  at  the  front-door,  as 
it  stood  wide  open  and  offered  a  shorter 
route  to  their  room,  and  as  they  passed 
the  study-door,  caught  a  glimpse  of  a  still 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  281 

motionless  little  figure  on  the  sofa.  Gil- 
bert's heart  beat  fast,  and  he  longed  to 
enter,  to  say  the  words  which  his  heart 
prompted ;  but  his  pride  got  the  better  of 
this  tenderness,  and  so  he  went  on,  smoth- 
ering the  sigh  which  struggled  up  to  his 
lips.  Just  as  they  were  leaving  the  hall 
to  go  up-stairs,  Mrs.  Winterhalter  came  in 
on  her  way  to  the  study  with  blankets  and 
flannels.  She  smiled  sweetly  to  Gilbert, 
saying,— 

"  Hurry  and  get  off  your  wet  clothes, 
dear,"  but  said  not  a  word  about  Perry. 

"Yes,"  said  Ray,  as  the  good  lady  hur- 
ried on,  "  you  sha'n't  loiter  another  sec- 
ond. Come,  hurry  up  with  you,  and  get 
off  these  soaked  things.  Seems  as  if  we 
never  should  get  here.  .You're  getting  as 
white  as  the  wall,  and  your  teeth, — good- 
ness! how  they  chatter!  And — and,  Gil, 
do  look  behind  you  at  the  stream  of  water 


282  GILBERT   STARR. 

that  is  running  down-stairs.  Why,  we 
might  have  rowed  you  up  here  in  the  '  Tri- 
ton' if  we'd  only  thought." 

They  entered  their  room,  and  Ray  locked 
the  door. 

"  Now  don't  you  lift  your  finger,  old  fel- 
low," he  said,  bustling  about ;  "  I'll  get 
these  things  off  you  in  a  twinkling,  and 
then  for  such  a  rubbing  as  you  haven't  had 
in  one  six  months.  If  it  don't  put  some 
color  and  warmth  into  you,  then  I'll  give 
up.  Gracious !  how  your  shoes  stick,  and, 
if  you'll  believe  me,  there's  at  least  half  a 
pint  of  water  in  'em !  What  a  lucky 
chance  this'd  be  for  the  washwoman,  if 
it  was  only  Monday !  I've  a  good  mind 
to  let  you  be  till  then ;  'twould  fill  up 
her  wash-tubs  so-  nicely,  and  save  such  a 
sight  of  pumping.  Let  your  jacket  alone ; 
I'll  'tend  to  it  in  a  minute." 

So  Ray  bustled  about,  busy  and  helpful. 


MAKIXG   RESTITUTION.  283 

He  soon  removed  his  friend's  wet  clothing, 
wrung  out  his  dripping  locks,  and  rubbed 
him  with  towels  till  his  natural  warmth  be- 
gan to  return  and  glow  delightfully  in  all 
his  veins.  Gilbert  took  it  all  passively 
enough,  and  as  he  grew  warm  and  com- 
fortable under  Ray's  ceaseless  rubbing, 
thought  gratefully  to  himself  that  there 
was  not  such  another  friend  in  the  whole 
world  wide,  and  wondered  regretfully  how 
he  could  ever  have  had  the  heart  to  give 
him  such  harsh  words  as  he  had  some- 
times done. 

At  last  Ray  ceased  his  exertions,  warm 
and  panting.  "  How  do  you  feel  now, 
old  fellow?"  he  asked,  looking  up  brightly. 

"As  warm  as  —  a  toast,''  said  Gilbert, 
gratefully ;  "  now  for  dry  clothes,  and 
then  I'll  be  as  good  as  new." 

"Wait  a  bit,  till  I've  combed  your  hair; 


284  GILBERT   STARR. 

it's  wringing  wet  yet,  and  wants  a  good 
rubbing  and  brushing." 

So  Kay  turned  barber  for  the  occasion, 
and  gave  his  friend's  head  a  creditable 
shampooing,  brushed  the  damp  locks  up 
from  his  forehead,  made  experiments  with 
a  view  to  seeing  whether  his  hair  looked 
best  brushed  before  or  behind  his  ears, 
and  with  a  last  flourish  pronounced  Gilbert 
to  be  "beginning  to  look  like  himself." 

Then  came  dry  garments  which  felt  lux- 
uriously warm  and  nice,  and  when  he  had 
got  on  his  blouse,  and  was  dry  and  com- 
fortable from,  head  to  foot,  he  declared  that 
he  felt  "better  than  before;  and  it's  all 
owing  to  you,  Ray,  you  best  of  friends, 
and  I'll  never  forget  it  as  long  as  I  live. 
Now  let's  go  down  to  the  lawn  and  stir 
about  a  little,  for  I  do  feel  just  the  least 
bit  sleepy  and  stupid." 

Ray   had   seated   himself  on   the   foot   of 


MAKING   EESTITUTIOX.  285 

a  bed  opposite  his  friend,  whom  he  was 
regarding  half-dreamily ;  and  Gilbert  him- 
self fell  into  a  reverie,  instead  of  going 
down  to  the  lawn  as  he  had  proposed. 
Ray  presently  broke  the  silence  by  say- 
ing,—it  was  a  continuation  of  the  thoughts 
running  in  his  own  brain  at  that  moment,  — 
.  "When  I;  saw  you  spring  past  us,  right 
out  into  the  water,  and  down,  down, 
like  a  piece  of  lead,  I  thought  it  was 
your  last  dive.  I  thought — oh,  Gilbert!  I 
shiver  when  I  think  of  it.  And  it  was  all 
for  Perry  Kent." 

"Or  for  any  one  else,  had  they  chanced 
to  be-  in  his  predicament,"  said  Gilbert, 
with  .a  shadow. on  his  face. 

:'  Yes,  I  know.  You'd  go  right  in  if 
'twas  boiling  pitch,  without  a  thought  for 
yourself;  and  some  of  these  days  you'll 
lose  your  life,  and  then  you'd  better  have 
looked  out  for  Number  One." 


286  GILBERT    STARR. 

"  You  don't  mean  that,"  said  Gilbert, 
looking  keenly  at  his  friend ;  "  you'd  never 
stand  by  and  see  a  little  fellow  drown  be- 
fore your  eyes,  —  or  a  big  one  either,  for 
that  matter.  Why,  who  jumped  in,  too, 
when  I  fell  out  of  the  'Triton'  one  night, 
and  got  me  by  the  arm,  when  the  water 
was  hardly  up  to  our  chins,  and  I  swim 
like  a  fish?"  and  Gilbert  laughed  merrily 
at  the  remembrance  of  Ray's  fright  and 
anxiety. 

"  "Well,  I  was  frightened  that  time,"  Eay 
admitted,  "  and  I  did  not  know  what  shal- 
low water  'twas,  you  see ;  but  that  don't 
prove  anything,  for  when  you  get  into 
trouble,  I  just  don't  think,  somehow,  and 
plump  overboard.  But  it's  different  with 
the  rest,  and  if  it  had  been  Perry  Kent, 
and  he  had  deceived  me  as  he  did  you,  I 
don't  know  but  I  should  have  —  have 
let—" 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  287 

"Pshaw!"  said  Gilbert,  "I  know  you 
better  than  that,  and  besides,  I  don't  want 
to  talk  about  Perry.  -Let's  drop  the  sub- 
ject, and  go  down.  I  hear  the  fellows  on 
the  lawn." 

'  Well,  I'm  ready.  Now  you  look  like 
yourself  once  more,  old  fellow, — better  than 
I  should  think  you  could  after  such  a  day's 
work.  But  here  " — as  they  were  leaving 
the  room, — "here's  your  uniform  all  soaked 
and  dripping.  It'll  spoil,  so.  Let's  carry 
it  down  to  Mrs.  Brant.  She'll  fix  it  up  as 
bright  as,  a  new  pin." 

'  There's  things  in  the  pockets,"  said 
Gilbert ;  "  we'd  better  take  those  out." 

Ray  thrust  his  hand  into  the  wet  depths 
and  drew  out  a  knife.  Then  came  a  soaked 
handkerchief,  then  a  pocket-book  whose 
contents  were  somewhat  the  worse  for 
water,  and  then  something  at  the  sight  of 


288  GILBERT    STARE. 

which  Ray  staggered  back  a  little,  exclaim 
ing,  — 

"  What !  —  Gilbert,  why,  this  — this  — 
this  is  —  good  heavens !  how  came  this  in 
your  pocket,  Gilbert  Starr?" 

It  fell  from  Ray's  hand,  and  Gilbert 
stooped  quickly  and  picked  it  up.  It  was 
Barry  White's  long-missing  pencil,  as 
bright  and  new  as  when  it  disappeared, 
and  on  one  end  were  the  engraved  letters, 
B.  W.,  as  plain  as  were  ever  letters  in  the 
world.  Gilbert  looked  up  to  his  friend 
with  wide-open,  astonished  eyes. , 

'What  does  this  mean?"   he  exclaimed, 
bewildered. 

"If  you  can't  tell,  how  can  I?"  said 
Bay,  with  eyes  quite  as  wide  open  as  Gil- 
bert's. 

Captain  Starr  looked  down  at  the  pencil, 
then  at  his  friend,  then  back  at  the  pencil, 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  289 

with  a  very  troubled  and  puzzled  counte- 
nance. 

"Don't  you  know?— can't  you  think?" 
said  Ray.  "  Why,  it  couldn't  have  been 
done  by  magic." 

"  It  was,  for  all  that  I  know  to  the  con- 
trary," said  Gilbert,  in  utter  perplexity. 

"But  think,  Gilbert,"  said  Kay;  "sit 
down  and  think,  and  perhaps  you'll  re- 
member some  fact,  or  something  that'll 
help  you.  Could  Kent  have  put  it  in  your 
pocket?" 

Gilbert  sat  down  in  the  seat  which  he 
had  just  vacated,  and,  without  answering  his 
friend's  question,  covered  his  face  and  tried 
to  think.  Suddenly  he  looked  up  to  Ray, 
the  color  all  fleeing  from  his  face,  and  ex- 
claimed, huskily,  — 

"  Kay,  I  see  it  all  now  1  This  pencil  fell 
out  of  Copp's  pocket  •  when  I  helped  him 

into  the  boat.      I  saw  it  shine,  and  picked 
19 


290  GILBERT    STAKE. 

it  up  without  noticing  or  thinking  whose 
pencil  it  was,  and  thought  I  would  give  it 
to  him  when  we  got  to  shore.  But  I  for- 

• 

got  it,  —  forgot  all  about  it,  and  now  —  oh, 
Ray !  Perry  Kent  is  just  as  innocent  of 
that  theft  as  you  or  _Z7" 

Ray  dropped  down  on  the  foot  of  the 
bed,  and  stared  blankly.  Gilbert  was 
white  and  silent  for  a  few  minutes,  then 
burst  out  with,  — 

"Oh,  Ray  Hunter,  what  have  I  done? 
Don't  you  see? — that  little  fellow  is  as  in- 
nocent as  a  lamb,  and  I  have  —  have  — 

Gilbert's  voice  sank  lower  and  lower,  till 
it  died  away  in  a  whisper,  and  he  looked 
down  at  the  floor  so  remorsefully  that  Ray's 
senses  came  back  to  him. 

'  You  don't  just  know,  old  fellow,"  said 
he,  quickly;  "there  may  be  some  mistake, 
and  don't  kill  yourself  till  you're  certain." 

"Certain?      I   am    certain!"    cried   Gil- 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  291 

bert;  "and,  oh,  what  shall  I  do?  I've 
been  the  cruelest  wretch !  I've  been  — 
I — oh,  Ray!  I  can't  tell  you  what  I've 
been.  It  makes  me  wild  to  think  of  it !  " 

'  Wait  and  think,"  said  Ray,  consoling- 
ly. "  Don't  you  see  you're  not  so  much 
to  blame?  All  .the  Boat  Club  against  that 
little  fellow,  and  you  to  decide  between 
'ein.  How  could  you  help  it?" 

"  Oh,  but  I  might  have  known ! "  said 
Gilbert,  remorsefully ;  "he  never  deceived 
me  in  the  world,  and  I  ought  to  have  taken 
his  word,  even  if  the  whole  Club  came 
down  upon  me,  and  oh,  why  didn't  I?" 

"  Because  you  couldn't  see  any  further 
through  a  millstone  than  anybody,"  said 
Ray,  comfortingly ;  "  you  couldn't  be  ex- 
pected to  know  everything ;  and  it  was 
only  a  common  enough  mistake,  such  as 
anybody  might  make.  And  I  dare  say 
Perry  hasn't  minded  it  much."  , 


292  GILBERT    STARE. 

"  That's  because  you  don't  know  him," 
said  Gilbert,  after  a  long,  long  silence, 
in  which  his  pale  and  downcast  face  had 
greatly  troubled  Ray.  "  Don't  you  think 
I  could  see  how  he  suffered  when  the  boys 
tormented  him?  Don't  you  think  I  knew 
how  it  wounded  him  when.  I  turned  him 
off  ?  Wouldn't  it  have  hurt  you  to  be  sus- 
pected of  theft,  and  lose  all  your  friends 
in  consequence?  Oh,  but  I  know  and 
have  seen  it  all,  and  I  —  I — " 

"Now  stop!"  said  Ray,  vehemently. 
:t  What's  the  use?  You've  saved  his  life 
this  very  day,  and  if  that  doesn't  more 
than  make  up  for  what  he's  '  endured,' 
then  there's  no  hope  for  you." 

"  And  I  refused  to  give  him  a  kind  word 
not  ten  minutes  after ! "  said  Gilbert,  with 
a  fresh  pang  of  regret,  — "  and  if  I  had 
failed,  —  if  anything  had  happened  that  I 
missed  my  hold  of  him  in  the  water,  and 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  293 

he  had  gone  down  for  the  last  time  —  oh, 
Ray,  it's  horrible  to  think  of!  He  would 
have  drowned,  and  I  should  have  had  all 
my  cruelty  to  think  of  as  long  as  I  lived." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  said  Ray ;  but  he  looked  ex- 
ceedingly uncomfortable  for  all  that. 

Presently  Gilbert  got  up  quickly,  and 
walked  toward  the  door,  and,  to  his  friend's 
question,  "Where  are  you  going?"  re- 
plied, "Down  to  the  study." 

Gilbert's  heart  beat  very  fast  as  he  went 
down-stairs,  and  his  cheeks,  which  had 
been  so  pale,  now  began  to  flush  and  crim- 
son when  he  thought  of  his  errand.  He 
had  got  to  humble  himself, — confess  to  a 
degree  of  wrong  and  injustice  which  made 
his  eyes  fill  to  think  of;  and  he  had  got 
to  confess  himself  in  the  wrong,  —  terribly 
in  the  wrong,  which  seems  to  be  a  very 
hard  thing  for  all  boys  to  do.  He  came 
to  the  door,  and  there  Mrs.  Winterhalter 


294  GILBERT   STARR. 

caught  sight  of  him,  and  left  her  seat  by 
the  sofa  to  see  what  he  wanted. 

"Why,  Gilbert,  what's  the  matter?"  she 
exclaimed,  as  she  noted  his  manner. 

Jt  Can  I  see — Perry?"  he  asked,  his  voice 
trembling. 

The  good  lady  looked  at  him  keenly 
a  minute,  then  a  happy  smile  flitted  over 
her  face,  and  then  she  said,  softly, — 

'Yes,  yes! — go  in  now.  I  know  — 
don't  stop  to  tell  me,  but  go  in ! "  and 
she  stepped  into  the  hall  and  closed  the 
door  after  her,  thus  leaving  Gilbert  by 
himself. 

Perry  lay  with  closed  eyes  on  the  sofa, 
white  and  still;  but  at  the  sound  of  the 
new-comer's  footsteps,  which  were  hardly 
as  soft  as  Mrs.  Winterhalter's,  he  looked 
up,  and  saw  —  Gilbert.  The  quick  color 
flashed  into  his  wan  face ;  he  started  up 
a  little  from  his  pillow,  then  sank  back, 


MAKING   EESTITUTION.  295 

as  pale  as  before  and  much,  distressed. 
The  next  instant  Gilbert  was  beside  him,  — 
down  on  his  knees, — his  arms  about  him, 
and  he  whispering,  — 

"  Can  you  ever,  ever  forgive  me,  Perry 
Kent?" 

A  half-smothered  cry  came  from  the  lit- 
tle boy's  lips  as  he  put  his  arms  about  his 

friend's  neck,   and   then — how  it  was,  Gil- 

• 
bert   could   not   tell  —  it   saemed   as   if  the 

great  wretched  gulf  between  them  had 
rolled  away,  and  they  were  the  same 
friends  as  ever,  only,  at  that  moment, 
both  joyful  and  sorrowful  at  once ! 

Mrs.  Winterhalter  came  in  after  a  while, 
and  found  Gilbert  gone,  and  Perry  sleep- 
ing peacefully.  A  few  skilful  questions, 
when  he  awoke,  revealed  all  to  the  good 
lady, — all  except  the  name  of  the  real  cul- 
prit, and  that  the  boy  did  not  wish  to  dis- 
close. 


296  GILBERT   STARR. 

"  I  don't  care,"  he  had  said,  "  now 
that  Gilbert  knows  all  about  it,  and  we  are 
such  good  friends  again,  and  he  will  never, 
never  doubt  me  again.  And  Gilbert  has 
promised  such  good  things ;  and  oh,  Mrs. 
Winterhalter,  I  am  so  happy !  and  the  duck 
in  the  river  was  just  nothing  at  all;  for, 
you  see,  it  told  Gilbert  who  the  real  thief 
was,  and  it  has  made  everything  all  bright  . 
and  smooth  once  more.  So,  if  you  had 
just  as  lief,  I  would  rather  not  tell." 

From  the  study  Gilbert  went  out  to  the 
lawn.  He  found  Copp  among  the  boys 
who  thronged  about  him,  and,  taking  him 
by  the  arm,  whispered, — 

"  Sam,  I  want  you  up  in  my  chamber  a 
few  minutes.  Not  a  word,  sir,  but  come 
on  as  I  tell  you,"  and  led  the  boy  away 
from  his  wondering  classmates. 

Gilbert  led   him   in  without   a  word,  up 


MAKING   RESTITUTION.  297 

the  stairs,  pausing  at  the  door  of  the 
chamber  to  say,  — 

"  Now,  Copp,  if  you're  obstinate,  and 
don't  tell  the  plain  truth,  I'll  turn  you 
over  "to  those  who  can  make  you.  Hold 
up  your  head,  and  come  on,"  and  with 
that  ushered  him  in  where  the  Boat  Club 
were  busy  removing  their  uniforms  and 
substituting  their  every-day  suits. 

"Here,"  said  Gilbert,  soberly,  "  is  a 
fellow  who  has  got  something  to  say  that 
will  interest  us  all ; "  and  holding  up 
the  pencil  before  Sam's  wondering  eyes, 
added, — 

"  Now,  begin  at  the  beginning,  and  tell 
the  whole.  Nc  halting,  now.  Go  on!" 

The  Boat  Club  suspended  operations, 
and  looked  on  in  amazement.  Copp  looked 
nervously  about  him  for  a  few  seconds, 
then,  seeing  there  was  no  help  for  him, 
began  his  confession.  It  was  a  confused 


298  GILBERT   STARR. 

.and  broken  story,  but  the  Club  made  out 
its  significance.  He  had  coveted  the  pen- 
cil, and  was  shrewd  enough  to  guess  that 
the  suspicion  would  rest  upon  Perry  at 

• 

once,  and  feeling  secure  from  discovery, 
stole  into  the  Club's  chamber,  one  day, 
and  removed  it. 

When  he  had  finished,  Gilbert  said  to 
his  friends,  — 

"I've  done  a  cruel  thing,  boys,  and  I'm 
ashamed  of  it.  I  want  you  to  treat  Perry 
Kent  well,  for  my  sake,  at  least,  and  that's 
no  more  than  his  due.  You  can  go  now, 
Copp.  You've  had  the  satisfaction  of  see- 
ing me  act  like  a  brute  toward  the  little 
fellow  you've  'wronged,  and  I  want  you  to 
keep  away  from  me  for  a  while." 

Sam  made  his  escape,  quite  willing  to 
perform  Gilbert's  requirement,  and  then 
the  Captain  sat  down  with  his  face  to  the 
window  and  his  back  to  the  boys,  thinking 


RESTITUTION.  299 

what    an    eventful    day  it    had    been,   and 
feeling   very   sober   and   thoughtful. 

Perry  had  not  deceived  him,  after  all, 
and  the  thought  was  so  pleasant  that  he 
lingered  over  it,  thinking  anew  of  many 
things  which  he  had  been  trying  to  drive 
out  of  his  head  during  those  disagreeable 
weeks. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

A    NEW-COMER,     AND    FOREBODINGS. 

VT7HILE  Gilbert  sat  in  his  chair  by  the 
window,  and  while  the  boys  were 
making  a  noisy  hum  all  about  him,  the 
door  opened  and  Ray  Hunter  entered  with 
a  stranger.  The  Captain's  face  was  turned 
away,  so  that  he  noticed  nothing  unusual 
till  he  heard  Ray  say,  in  the  hush  which 
followed  his  appearance,  "  Boys,  this  is 
Philip  Gates, — a  new  fellow  in  our  class." 
Then  he  turned  about  to  look. 

The  new-comer  was  as  tall  as  Gilbert 
himself,  had  a  strong  and  sturdy  figure 
and  a  rather  handsome  face.  He  did  not 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.       301 

seem  at  all  abashed  at  the  sight  of  so 
many  eyes  bent  upon  him,  and  shook 
hands  with  his  new  acquaintances  quite  as 
much  at  his  ease  as  if  it  were  the  hun- 
dredth time  instead  of  the  first. 

The   boys   were   rather   cool    toward    the 
new-comer.     There  had   not   been   an  addi- 

• 

tion  to  their  class  in  a  long  time,  and  they 
were  decidedly  averse  to  it;  but  if  he  no- 
ticed this,  he  minded  it  not  a  whit,  and 
was  as  affable  and  pleasant  as  could  be 
imagined.  And  when  he  had  been  intro- 
duced to  his  new  friends,  Ray  caine  around 
with  him  to  where  Gilbert  sat. 

'  This  is  our  captain,  Gilbert  Starr," 
said  he,  not  without  some  pride  in  his 
tone,  — for  they  all  thought  they  had  rea- 
son to  be  proud  of  him  that  day,  — tf  and 
he's  head-boy  o£  the  school,"  added  Ray, 
in  a  whisper. 

Philip  Gates    shook   Gilbert's   hand,    and 


302  GILBERT    STARR. 

as  the  two  stood  side  by  side,  Ray  noted, 
with  a  dim,  half-conscious  foreboding,  that 
they  were  just  of  a  height  and  well^ 
matched. 

"I  don't  see  how  we  can  have  two  such 
fine  fellows  in  one  school,"  thought  he : 
"they  can't  both  rule,  and  I  wonder  if 
Gates  will  be  contented  under  Gilbert? 
He'll  have  to  be,  though;  there's  only  one  * 
way  for  him!" 

Then  the  stranger  went  off  to  see  to  his 
trunk,  leaving  the  boys  to  discuss  his  ap- 
pearance, and  surmise  what  "  sort  of  a  fel- 
low he'll  be,  and  whether  he  can  handle 
an  oar,  or  whether  he's  worth  a  snap  at 
cricket." 

"But  how  do  you  like  him,  Gil?"  said 
Ray,  coming  back  to  Gilbert's  chair;  "he's 
tail  and  strong  like  yourself,  and  just  a 

• 

match,  I   should  think.     And  he  talks  like 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.       303 

a  jolly  fellow,  but  —  but  I'm  sorry  he's 
come." 

"Why?" 

rt  Because  he's  ambitious  and  proud ; 
you  could  see  that  plain  enough,  and,  old 
fellow,  you'll  have  to  look  out  for  your 
command,  if  I'm  not  mistaken." 

Gilbert  laughed,   carelessly. 

"  I'm  not  troubled  at  all,"  he  said ; 
"  Gates  doesn't  look  very  dangerous,  and 
if  he  is,  why,  I  must  be  dangerous  too. 
It  would  be  just  a  tug  to  see  which  should 
rule,  I  suppose,  and —  There's  the  sup- 
per-bell, and  supper's  a  great  deal  better 
than  talk  just  now,  so  let's  go  down." 

Gates  had  a  chair  at  the  table  next  Gil- 
bert's own,  and  Gilbert  was  very  polite 
and  attentive  to  him,  as  it  became  the 
head-boy  of  school  to  be  to  a  stranger. 
And  as  everybody  wished  to  please  the 
Captain  that  evening,  the  new-comer  re- 


304  GILBERT   STARE. 

ceived  more  kindness  and  attention  than 
he  would  otherwise  have  done. 

After  tea,  as  they  were  coming  out  of 
the  supper-room,  Mrs.  Winterhalter  mot 
Gilbert  and  drew  him  aside,  saying, — 

"It's  the  old  trouble  about  room  again. 
Another  new  boy,  and  nowhere  to  put  him. 
But  there's  only  one  way  to  do.  Ho  will 
have  to  go  in  with  one  of  you,  and  who 
shall  it  be?" 

Gilbert's  face  said,  not  him ;  his  tongue, 
''I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Perhaps,  though 
I  don't  know,  the  boys  would  rather  cast 
lots,  if  he  has  got  to  come  into  our  room. 
They'll  grumble  some,  I  suppose." 

"Yes,  I  know,  and  so  I  would  rathor 
you'd  settle  it  among  yourselves.  May  I 
leave  that  to  you?" 

Gilbert  assented,  and  after  Mrs.  Winter- 
halter  had  detained  him  awhile  to  talk 
about  the  day's  events  and  Perry  Kent,  he 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.       305 

went  up  to  the  chamber  where  most  of 
the  class  had  congregated.  Gates  was  in 
Mr.  Winterhalter's  study,  undergoing  ex- 
amination. There  was  great  murmuring 
when  he  disclosed  the  fact  that  some  one 
had  got  to  give  up  half  his  bed,  and  a 
great  deal  of  wishing  that  Phil  Gates  was 
a  thousand  miles  away. 

"But  as  he  isn't,"  said  Gilbert,  "and 
there  is  a  prospect  of  his  being  up  here  in 
a  few  minutes,  I  propose  that  we  cast  lots 
and  get  through  with  the  business  before 
he  returns." 

As  there  was  no  help  for  it,-  lots  were 
drawn.  Everybody  had  a  blank  but  Ray ; 
on  his  was  written  "Gates."  The  boys 
were  jubilant;  Ray. vexed. 

"  I  declare,"  said  he,  "I  won't  have  a 
bedfellow !  I'll  sleep  on  the  floor  first. 
I  think  it's  real  shabby  in  Winterhalter, 

anyhow,  that  he  crowds  us  so.      I've   been 

20 


306  GILBERT    STAKE. 

here  three  years,  and  now  I've  got  to  give 
up  to  the  first  fellow  that  comes  along." 

"But,  Ray,"  said  Gilbert,  "you  know 
you  agreed  to  go  according  to  the  lot." 

'*  Yes,  and  I  will.  Gates  shall  have  my 
bed, — the  whole  of  it.  I'll  sleep  on  the 
floor,  or  hang  myself  on  a  hook,  I'm  not 
particular  which.  And — " 

"Perhaps  I  shall  have  a  word  to  say  in 
the  disposal,"  said  a  voice  in  the  door-- 
way, and  there  stood  Gates  himself. 

Ray  flushed  a  little,  but  was'  resolute. 
The  new-comer  walked  up  to  the  table, 
looked  at  the  slips  of  paper,  and  said,  a 
trifle  scornfully,  — 

"  So  you've  been  disposing  of  me  by  lot, 
and  Hunter  has  been  the  unfortunate  one. 
Well,  what's  to  be  done?" 

"You're  to  have  the  bed,"  said  Ray, 
shortly. 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND   FOREBODINGS.       307 

"But  supposing  I  won't  have  it?" 

:'  Then  it  will  stay  empty." 

Now  all  this  was  very  foolish  and  silly ; 
but  from  words  they  went  almost  to  blows, 
and  all  about  a  bed.  However,  Gilbert 
stepped  between  them,  commanded  Ray, 
entreated  Gates,  and  so  forced  peace ;  but 
from  that  time  the  new-comer  secretly 
spited  him  for  this  interference,  and  in 
due  time  showed  his  dislike.  The  matter 
ended  by  Ray  sharing  Gilbert's  bed,  and 
so  all  went  smoothly  again  for  a  time. 

The  next  day  was  the  Sabbath.  There 
was  the  usual  walk  to  church  and  back  at 
noon ;  the  Sunday  lunch  of  bread  and  milk, 
and  the  scattering  of  the  boys  in  all  direc- 
tions to  spend  the  remainder  of  the  day. 
Gilbert  and  Ray  came  down  from  a  long  talk 
in  their  room,  and  found  Perry  Kent  out 
on  the  piazza,  — quite  pale,  but  better.  Ray 
stopped,  out  of  courtesy,  to  give  the  boy  a 


308  GILBERT    STARR. 

few  sympathizing  words,  then  passed  on ; 
but  Gilbert  lingered.  He  was  thinking  of 
another  Sunday,  when  he  found  his  protege 
with  a  Bible,  and  was  not  quite  sure  but 
there  was  one  out  of  sight  somewhere  among 
the  cushions  of  the  easy-chair  in  which  he 
sat. 

"And  now  what  are  you  thinking  about?  " 
he  asked  of  Perry,  after  he  had  leaned  a 
long  time  in  silence  against  one  of  the  pil- 
lars of  the  piazza,  busy  with  his  own 
thoughts. 

"About  you,"  said  his  protege,  "and 
about  yesterday  afternoon  Avhen  I  saw  you 
enter  the  study.  And  then  I  was  thinking 
about  the  tumble  into  the  river,  and  how 
everybody  says  you  risked  your  life  to 
save  me.  I  didn't  think  then,  I  was  so 
confused,  but  I  forgot  to  thank  you." 

A  half-smile  played  about  the  corners  of 
Gilbert's  mouth,  and  then  his  "face  grew 


.     A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.       309 

• 

very  grave.  "  Do  you  think  you  are  very 
deeply  in  debt  to  me?  "  he  asked. 

Perry  answered,  "  More  than  I  can  ever 
pay,"  and  said  it  so  earnestly  that  Gilbert 
turned  away  his  face,  — to  look  at  the  river, 
he  pretended. 

He  sat  down  by  his  protege  presently, 
saying,  "Do  .you  know  I  feel  as  if  I  could 
never  forgive  myself,  nor  be  forgiven,  for 
all  that's  happened  in  these  weeks?  And, 
you  see,  if  you  had  drowned  and  I  dis- 
covered that  you  were  —  were  not  what  I 
thought  you,  why,  I  should  have  been  mis- 
erable all  -my  life  for  wronging  you ;  and 
now  that  }rou're  safe  I  can't  be  too  thank- 
ful, and  don't  think  of  the  risk." 

Perry  looked  down  at  the  floor,  glad 
and  happy. 

"  And,"  continued  Gilbert,  "  I  don't  want 
you  to  remember  those  cruel  words  I  said 


310  GILBERT   STARR. 

to  you.  I'd  give  a  great  deal  if  I  might 
only  take  them  back  !  " 

"  You  have  taken  them  back,  —  now,  yes- 
terday, and  I  don't  think  anything  about 
them.  But,  but—" 

"  Go  on ;  don't  be  afraid,"  said  the  Cap- 
tain. 

"  But  there  was  one  thing  —you  know  — 
you  said  that  you — you — oh,  Gilbert!  — 
you'd  never  believe  in  anything  good  as 
long  as  you  lived." 

Gilbert   remembered,   and  was    silent. 

"  And,"  continued  his  protege,  "  I  thought 
you  were  just  ready  to  begin  and  try  to  do 
better,  and  then  came  the  trouble,  and  you 
went  clear  back  again,  and  said  —  said 
that." 

"  Yes,  I  know,"  said  the  Captain  ;  "  it 
shocked  me  terribly.  I  didn't  know  which 
way  to  turn,  and  I  thought  there  was  no  use 
trying  to  be  better.  I  was  so  miserable  — 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.        311 

oh,  you  don't  know,  Perry !  But,"  he 
added,  softly,  "I  think  I  would  like  those 
words  taken  back  too." 

"Oh!  would  you?"  said  his  protege, 
delightedly,  and  then  sat  looking  at  Gilbert 
so  thoughtfully  that  the  Captain  smiled. 

'  "\Yhat  are  you  going  to  do  here  all  the 
afternoon  by  yourself  ? "  he  asked. 

"  Read,  and  look  at  the  river  down  be- 
low, and  think,  I  suppose ;  and  somehow 
the  time  gets  away  before  I  know  it,  and  it 
is  night  again.'* 

Eay  called  Gilbert  just  here,  —  called  to 
him  to  come  down  to  the  lawn  gate  where 
he  was  standing. 

"  Isn't  there  something  I  can  do  for  you 
first?"  he  asked  of  Perry  as  he  took  two 
or  three  steps  toward  obeying  Ray's  call. 

The  boy  hesitated,  looked  up  to  Gil- 
bert's eyes,  as  if  to  see  how  much  he  might 
venture  to  ask,  and  then  said,  slowly  a'nd 


312  GILBERT    STARR. 

with  some  confusion,  "Perhaps  you  —  I 
wish  you  would  stay  and  —  and  read  with 
me." 

"Read,  what?"  Gilbert  asked,  without 
showing  any  annoyance. 

"The   Bible." 

"Aloud  to   you?" 

"Yes,  — if  you  will.  Oh,  Gilbert!  if 
you  only  would.  Don't  get  angry,  but  I  - 

"  Pshaw !  I'm  not  angry.  Do  you  think 
I  fly  into  a  passion  at  everything?  I  don't 
wonder  .if  you  do,  though.  But — where 
is  the  Bible?" 

Perry's  face  glowed  with  a  happy  smile 
as  he  drew  out  mamma's  Bible  from  some 
depth  of  his  chair.  "Here  it  is,"  he  said, 
stroking  its  brown  covers  reverently,  "and 
this  Avas  mamma's,  and  here  is  where  her 
fingers  have  worn  it,  and  here  are  her  marks, 
and  —  and  —  oh,  Gilbert!  I  do  wish  you 
could  have  seen  her !  " 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOIIEBO  DINGS.        313 

Gilbert  wished  so  too.  He  took  the  book 
with  a  feeling  akin  to  awe.  Perhaps  the 
memory  of  that  mother's  love  and  gentleness, 
which  so  lingered  about  it  and  filled  Perry's 
heart,  touched  his  own  a  little. 

"  I  had  a  mother  once,"  he  said,  looking 
down  soberly  at  the  brown  covers,  "  but  it 
was  such  a  long,  long  time  ago  that  I  can 
only  remember  the  way  she  used  to  kiss  me. 
If  she  had  lived  —  well,  I  should  have  been 
a  different  fellow,  I  suppose." 

Perry  laid  his  hand  on  Gilbert's  shoulder 
sympathiziugly.  It  seemed  so  strange  to 
hear  such  words  from  his  lips,  and  so  curi- 
ous that  he  should  only  remember  so  little 
of  his  mother. 

"Now,"  said  Gilbert,   opening  the  book, 
Where  shall   I  read?" 
'  Wherever  you   like." 

The  Captain  turned  over  the  leaves  a  long 
time,  till  he  had  got  to  the  New  Testament^ 


314  GILBERT    STARR. 

and  then  stopped  to  read  in  St.  John.  He 
was  a  good  reader,  and  Perry  had  always 
,  Joved  to  hear  him  in  the  recitations ;  buipj, 
now,  when  the  words  were  so  dear  and  f;i- 
miliar,  and  there  hung  about  them  the  double 
charm  of  their  own  purity  and  mamma's  love, 
mingled  with  the  happy  consciousness  that 
it  was  Gilbert  who  read  them,  they  had 
never  seemed  so  beautiful  as  in  the  sweet 
Sabbath  stillness  of  this  hour. 

At  the  end  of  the  first  chapter,  the  reader 
stopped,  looked  at  his  listener  and  found 
him  waiting,  and  then  went  on.  Gates  and 
some  of  the  Boat  Club  sauntered  around  by 
the  syringas,  and  sat  down  on  the  turf. 
They  sa\v  Gilbert  and  his  protege,  won- 
dered "  if  the  Cap'n  was  getting  out  his 
translations,  or  what?"  and,  after  a  time, 
moved  on  down  the  lawn.  Still  Gilbert 
read,  and  still  Perry  listened,  delightedly. 

By  and  by,   Ray,  finding  that  his  friend 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  TOREBODIXGS.        315 

failed  to  answer  his  call,  grew  vexed,  and, 
after  loitering  all  about  the  lawn,  drew 
slowly  near  the  piazza,  too  independent  to 
hurry,  yet  wondering  what  book  Gilbert 
had  found  so  interesting,  and  feeling  se- 
cretly jealous  of  Perry  Kent.  finding 
that  the  reader  did  not  look  up  at  his  ap- 
proach, he  drew  softly  near,  and,  at  last, 
went  and  sat  down  at  his  feet  on  the  piaz- 
za-steps. With  his  arms  across  Gilbert's 
knees,  and  his  head  under  his  book,  he 
peered  up  at  Perry  Kent's  rapt  face,  won- 
deringly. 

"  I  wonder  why  Gilbert  will  let  himself 
be  tied  up  to  that  pale-faced  chit?"  he 
thought  to  himself,  and  was  vexed. 

But  Gilbert  read  on,  clear  and  unfalter- 
ing, and  Perry  listened  contentedly,  and 
Poiy  —  frowned  ;  till  Mrs.  Winterhalter 
came  out  of  her  parlor  to  say  that  Perry 
must  go  in.  Then  the  Captain  gave  up  the 


316  GILBERT    STARR. 

Bible,  and  his  listener  was  wheeled  away, 
looking  back  his  thanks  and  love,  and  then 
Gilbert  turned  to  Ray. 

"  You  called  me,"  he  said,  "  and  I 
heard ;  but  this  little  fellow  wanted  me  to 
read.  So  I  stayed,  for  Avhich  I  humbly 
crave  pardon." 

Ray  looked   up,    sorrowfully. 

f  You're  just  going  straight  back  to  your 
old  notions,"  he  said,  "  and  that'll  be  the 
end  of  you.  Oh,  Gilbert,  why  can't  you 
take  my  advice?"  shaking  his  head  waru- 
ingly. 

'-'About  what?" 

"Why,  about  —  about  your  notions. 
You've  been  reading  the  Bible  a  whole 
hour  at  least,  and  if  the  fellows  knew  — 
if  they  had  happened  to  hear  1 " 

"What  then?"  coolly. 
'You    know! — they'd    have    turned    on 
you  at   once.     If   you    will    and    must    do 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.        317 

such  things,  what's  the  use  of  letting  every- 
body see  and  know?" 

Gilbert's  face  flushed. 
'  Ray,"  said  he,  "in  the  first  place,  I've 
a  perfect  right  to  read  any  book  I  choose  : 
and  has  it  harmed  me  to  read  the  Bible? 
or  where'  is  the  disgrace  ?  If  it  had  been 
Roman  history,  or  a  novel,  or  any  of  the 
school-books,  you  wouldn't  have  minded  a 
whit;  but  because  it  is  a  better  book, — 
you  don't  deny  that, — you're  troubled  at 
once.  I  don't  see,  I  can't  see,  how  you 
make  out  your  case  ! " 

"  But  it  looks  so  priggish  and  sanctimo- 
nious ! "  persisted  Ray. 

"  Oh,  that's  the  trouble  !  Well,  I  didn't 
know  I  was  a  prig  befo — "  . 

'  You're  not !  "  said  Ray,  quickly ;  "  I'd 
like  to  see  the  fellow  that'd  call  you  that. 
But,  you  see,  if  a  fellow  reads  the  Bible 
and  says  his  prayers,  it  looks  as  if  ho  was 


.318  GILBERT    STARR. 

trying  to  set  up  for  a  Puritan,  and  one 
carft  be  good  in  school  without  getting 
laughed  at!" 

"  Ray,"  Gilbert  exclaimed,  with  actually 
a  quiver  in  his  voice,  "  that's  just  what 
troubles  me !  I  do  want  to  be  a  better 
fellow, — I've  confessed  you  that  before, — 
but  how  to  be  one  without  appearing  to 
set  up  for  a  prig  and  a  —  a — goody  sort 

* 

of  a  fellow!  —  oh,  can't  one  do  right  and 
still  be  a  man?" 

Ray  stroked  Gilbert's  hand  with  his  own, 
looking  exceedingly  distressed  and  uncom- 
fortable. At  last  he  said,  — 

"  I  see  just  how  it  will  be,  — I've  seen 
it  all  along !  You'll  get  into  trouble  writh 
your  new  notions,  —  trouble  with  the  boys, 
I  mean,  —  and  then  they'll  throw  you  over- 
board. They'll  pull  you  dowrn  from  your 
rank,  and  keep  you  under;  and  oh,  how 


A  NEW-COMER,  AND  FOREBODINGS.        319 

can,  you  ever  bear  that,  and  how  can  I 
bear  to  see  you  there?" 

"  Always  worrying  about  me  !  "  said  Gil- 
bert, smiling ;  "  but  never  fear,  I'll  keep 
my  rank,  I  think;  and  even  if  they  should 
bring  me  down  for  no  other  reason  thai? 
because  I  want  to  be  a  truer  fellow — why, 
I  could  bear  it,  I  guess.  At  any  rate,  I 
hope  I  shall  have  the  courage  to  try.  Oh, 
Ray,  can't  you  give  me  a  help?" 

"  No ;  I'm  no  good  in  that  direction," 
said  he,  disconsolately,  "and  —  and  —  you- 
've got  a  tough  row,  old  fellow,  and  I 
wish  you  were  well  through  with  it ;  and 
I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what's  to  become  of 
you!"  and  with  this  Ray  looked  ready  to 
cry,  if  such  a  thought  were  to  be  enter- 
tained for  a  moment  by  a  fellow  of  his 
size  ! 

Gilbert  laughed  cheerily,  put  his  arm 
about  his  friend's  shoulder,  and  told  him 


320  GILBERT    STARR. 

to  come  with  him,  —  down  to  the  hedge, 
under  the  old  ash,  or  anywhere  to  shake 
off  such  heavy  spirits,  —  and  leave  the 
future  to  take  care  of  itself;  which  Ray 
did  for  the  rest  of  Sunday  afternoon. 

Waning  summer  fled,  and  the  first  fall 
month  came.  Asters  purpled  the  road- 
sides, golden-rod  stood  up  regal  and  grand 
in  the  scrubby  fences,  and  the  hills  grew 
soft  and  yellow ;  and  the  crickets  chirped 
noisily  in  the  cool  evenings,  and  earth  and 
sky  seemed  always  whispering  that  the 
summer  was  dead,  and  winter  coming.  No 

*  O 

days  of  summer  like  these,  —  so  full  of 
soft  and  hazy  splendor,  breathing  such 
gentle  calm  and  fragrance,  slipping  by  one 
after  another  to  all  the  dead  days  past, 
leaving  only  the  charm  of  their  memory. 
Musky,  purple,  and  heavy  the  grapes  hung 
in  the  woods ;  the  hazel-nuts  drooped  their 
clustered  heads,  waiting  for  a  gatherer,  and 


A  NEW-COMEK,  AND  FOREBODINGS.        321 

when  a  short  one-week  vacation  came,  if 
iiiits  and  fruits  were  not  all  stripped  and 
plundered,  it  was  not  the  fault  of  the 
Rainford  boys. 


CHAPTER    XVI. 

EEBELLION. 

A  LL  these  happy  days  did  not  go  by 
•*  "-  without  a  great  many  sober  thoughts 
in  Gilbert's  heart, — earnest  thoughts  about 
his  own  way,  and  much  questioning  as  to 
whether  he  was  right,  and  whether  he 
could  stand  against  the  tide  of  school  opin- 
ion which  would  sweep  against  him,  if  he 
dared  to  step  out  of  the  beaten  way.  Ray 
Hunter,  keen  and  watchful,  fathomed  his 
friend's  thoughts,  and  was  distressed  and 
perplexed  in  consequence ;  and  then  he 
was  quite  sure  that  Gates  was  secretly  un- 
dermining, and  pretty  soon,  ho  thought, 


REBELLION.  323 

down  Gilbert  would  come  with  the  crash 
which  he  had  predicted.  And  at  last  Gil- 
bert's wavering  came  to  an  end,  and  so 
it  came  about  that  one  night  he  knelt 
down  at  the  foot  of  his  bed  and  said  his 
prayers  before  them  all.  They  were  all 
merry  and  boisterous,  and  did  not  notice 
at  first;  but  when  they  did,  a  sudden  si- 
lence fell  upon  them.  Never  were  boys 
more  astonished  and  perplexed.  They 
looked  at  each  other,  then  at  Gilbert,  and 
seemed  to  doubt  their  own  eyes.  Ray 
Hunter  turned  away  his  face  to  the  wall. 
Gates,  who  was  sitting  at  the  writing-table, 
turned  about  to  see  what  the  sudden  hush 
meant,  and  when  he  comprehended  the 
whole,  looked  at  the  boys  and  laughed 
audibly.  This  was  the  only  ridicule  to 
which  any  expression  was  given,  the  others 
being  too  much  astonished  and  sobered  to 
laugh  or  jest  about  the  matter.  And  when 


324  GILBERT   STARR. 

they  relapsed  again  into  whispers  and  un- 
dertones, Gilbert  had  finished  and  got  up 
to  find  all  his  friends  looking  askance  at 
him  over  each  other's  shoulders,  apparently 
regarding  him  as  suddenly  removed  a  long 
way  from  themselves. 

Without  doubt  they  all  regarded  him  as 
having  done  something  weak  and  unmanly, 
—  actually  getting  down  on  his  knees, — 
he,  Captain  Gilbert  Starr,  —  and  piling 
like  Perry  Kent  or  any  other  little  fellow 
just  from  his  mother's  apron-strings  !  This 
was  what  they  thought,  if  they  did  not 
express  it.  As  if  a  boy,  young,  heedless, 
eager,  assailed  on  every  side  by  tempta- 
tions, could  >  walk  alone  unharmed!  As  if 
it  were  not  a  blessed  privilege  to  ask 
God's  help,  and  have  his  great  hand  guid- 
ing, sustaining,  comforting,  and  holding  up 
over  the  roughness  and  the  snares  and  pits 
which  are  in  every  boy's  path !  Weak 


REBELLION.  325 

and  unmanly?  They  were  the  weak  ones 
who  tried  to  go  alone,  —  stumbling  and 
blinded ;  they  the  unmanly  who  were 
afraid  to  own  God's  love,  ashamed  to  ask 
his  guidance,  and  trying  to  creep  and 
cringe  along  after  their  own  way. 

Gilbert's  .cheeks  flushed  a  little  at  the 
sight  of  so  many  eyes  upon  him,  and  at 
Gates' s  prolonged  stare ;  then  he  threw  off 
his  clothes  and  went  to  bed. 

Gates  stopped  writing;  the  boys  went  to 
bed  one  after  another,  —  Ray  last  of  all, 
without  his  usual  good-night  to  Gilbert  as 
he  got  in  beside  him,  — and  then  the  lamp 
was  out,  and  the  room  settled  down  to 
peace  and  quietness,  save  the  cricket,  who, 
under  the  door,  made  dry,  sharp  music. 

Gilbert  lay  in  the  silence,  awake  and 
thoughtful.  He  was  thinking  most  of  that 
deception,  a  long  way  back,  by  which  they 
had  won  the  prize-flag.  The  thought  of  it 


326  GILBEKT    STARR. 

had  rankled  in  his  heart  day  after  day 
since  there  had  been  truer,  more  earnest 
thoughts  there ;  and  now  he  wished  and 
longed  that  there  was  some  way  by  which 
he  might  undo  the  whole  'deception, — tell 
Mr.  "Winterhalter  all,  perhaps,  and,  though 
that  would  disclose  his  own-  deceit,  it 
would  end  the  feeling  of  meanness  and 
shame  which  he  felt  whenever  the  pennon 
fluttered  above  him.  Maybe  it  was  late  in 
the  day  to  be  stirring  about  it,  but  the  de- 
ception grew  no  better  by  being  older,  he 
thought.  But  how  to  do  it  ?  Of  course  tho 
Club  must  know,  and  they  would  be  furious, 
he  well  knew.  It  might  even  cost  'him  his 
rank,  and  Mr.  Winterhalter  might  think 
fit  to  disgrace  them  all.  In  that  case  his 
men  would  lay  all  the  blame  upon  him, 
and  —  well,  the  prospect  rather  disheart- 
ened him.  It  was  not  pleasant  to  think 
of  all  his  friends  as  enemies,  and  Mr. 


REBELLION.  327 

Winterhalter  stern  and  severe.  And  his 
evil  act  was  a  very  thoughtless  one ;  he 
did  not  think  of  the  evil  which  lay  be- 
hind it  when  his  lips  proposed  it.  It 
was  done  hastily,  and  the  risk  of  detec- 
tion seemed  then  only  a  pleasant  excite- 
ment. All  these  things  he  thought  of, 
pondered  over.  There  really  seemed  but 
one  right  and  manly  way  to  him.  But  oh, 
the  consequences !  So  he  wavered,  hesi- 
tated, and  after  a  long  struggle  decided. 
He  would  tell  Mr.  Wiuterhalter  all  in  the 
morning.  Come  disgrace  or  blame,  that 
would  be  the  right  way,  he  thought,  and 
the  Right  Way  was  the  one  he  was  try- 
ing to  follow.  After  the  battle  was  over 
and  his  decision  made,  it  did  not  seem  so 
hard ;  yet  he  could  not  but  surmise  what  his 
men  would  say.  He  dreaded  their  censure 
a  little,  — yes,  a  good  deal ;  more  than  he 
was  willing  to  own,  perhaps. 


328  GILBERT   STARR. 

Iii  the  silence  he  heard  Ray's  soft  breath- 
ing as  he  slumbered  beside  him,  and  thought, 
gratefully,  "Dear  old  fellow!  he'll  stand  by 
me,  if  the  rest  don't.  He  likes  the  right  a 
great  deal  better  than  he  pretends,  and 
I'll  have  one  friend  left  among  them  all." 
And  comforting  himself  somewhat  with  this, 
he  went  to  sleep. 

He  did  not  awake  the  next  morning  till 
half  the  boys  were  up  and  dressed,  Gates 
and  Eay  included.  The  other  half  were 
awake,  loitering  and  lounging  sleepily  at 
their  toilets.  His  heart  beat  rather  quick 
and  fast  as  he  turned  from  the  glass  af- 
ter combing  his  hair,  saying, — 

"  Boys,  I've  got  something  I  want  to 
say  to  you.  Will  you  listen  a  minute?" 

"  As  long  as  you  like,  Cap'n,"  said 
Tom  Fowler,  good-humoredly,  and  the  rest 
hushed  their  clamor. 

Ray  stood  with    towel   in    one   hand   and 


REBELLION.  321) 

soap  in  the  other,  looking  at  his  friend 
with  a  foreboding  face.  Then  Gilbert 
said, — 

;t  You  remember  the  prize-flag,  boys  ? 
I—" 

"  Of  course  we  do,"  interrupted  Tom. 
"  What's  coming  now?" 

"  Just  this  :  I've  felt  mean  and  ashamed 
ever  since  —  since  a  little  after  we  won  it. 
It  wasn't  won  fairly,  you  all  know,  and 
I'm  to  blame  for  it  because  I  proposed  the 
plan;  and  I  can't  feel  right  or  honorable 
till  I've  settled  it.  JSo  I'm  going  to  tell 
Mr.  TTinterhalter  the  whole,  and — " 

An  indignant,  excited  buzz,  mingled  with 
"Shame!  shame!"  filled  the  room  and 
drowned  the  rest. 

'  ^Vhy,  that's  downright  treachery,"  said 
Albert  Turner,  with  more  passion  than  any 
one  had  ever  seen  him  display  before, 


330  GILBERT    STARR. 

"  and  I  for  one  won't  stand  such  an  out- 
rageous piece  of  meanness!" 

"  Nor  I,"  said  Bob  Upham,  who  gen- 
erally took  his  opinions  at  second-hand ; 
"  you  got  us  into  the  trap,  and  now  you're 
going  to  betray  us." 

"  No,"  said  Gilbert,  his  eyes  sparkling 
a  little  at  the  epithets ;  "I  shall  accuse 
no  one  but  myself,  and  will  take  all  the 
responsibility.  I'm  most  to  blame,  and 
will  take  the  disgrace,  if  there  is  any." 

"That  won't  do,"  said  Tom,  fiercely, — 
"  it  won't  do  at  all !  I  call  it  all  mean 
and  treacherous,  and  just  one  of  your  new- 
fangled notions  about  right  and  duty ;  and 
I  never  knew  a  fellow  set  up  such  preach- 
ing without  turning  traitor,  or  a  prig,  or 
something  equally  badj  " 

This  touched  Gilbert  sorely ;  but  he  bit 
his  lips,  and  managed  to  hold  his  temper 
\v'ulc  the  storming  went  on  about  him, 


REBELLION.  33l 

and  grew  fiercer  and  fiercer.  Kay  had  not 
said  a  word  as  yet. 

'There's  just  this  about  it,"  said  Albert 
Turner;  "it's  plain  that  such  treachery 
won't  pass  with  us.  You  wouldn't  have 
thought  of  such  a  thing 'three  months  ago. 
You  wouldn't  have  insulted  us  by  propos- 
ing it ;  and  if  you  go  to  Winterhalter 
with  it,  I'll— I'll—" 

"What?"    said   Gilbert,   calmly. 

"Fight  you,  if  the  rest  don't!"  said 
Turner,  hotly. 

The  boys  expected  to  see  Gilbert  turn 
upon  the  secretary  at  once,  and  for  a  mo- 
inciit  he  looked  as  if  such  were  his  in- 
tentions;  then  he  grew  calmer,  and  said, — 

"  I  shall  do  it,  however.  I  think  it's 
the  only  right  and  honorable  way,  and  if 
you  all  fight  me,  it  won't  make  any  dif- 
ference ;  and  if  you  won't  give  your  con- 
sent, I  must  do  without  it." 


332  GILBERT   STARR. 

He  had  finished  dressing  while  speaking 
these  words,  and  now  moved  toward  the 
door.  Tom  fowler  threw  his  stout  figure 
against  it,  defiantly,  and  several  members 
of  the  Boat  Club  rallied  about  him. 

"  Let's  see  you  turn  traitor  !  "  said  Tom, 
between  his  teeth.  '  You  can't  make  your 
new  notions  go  down  here,  sir!" 

Two  bright,  angry  spots  came  into  Gil- 
bert's cheeks  at  this,  and  his  hands 
clinched.  He  was  not  used  to  being 
either  opposed  or  threatened,  you  remem- 
ber. 

Ray  sprang  up,  thinking  there  was  go- 
ing to  be  trouble,  and  wondering  if  it  was 
really  best  for  him  to  uphold  Gilbert's  out- 
rageous opinions.  But  there  was  no  fight. 
Gilbert  simply  said,  — 

"  I'm  going  out  of  that  door,  Tom,  and 
do  you  stand  back,  or  I'll  make  you ; " 
and  upon  that  Tom's  supporters  left  him, 


REBELLION.  333 

and  there  was  no  other  way  for  him  but 
to  give  up  too.  So  Gilbert  went  out  un- 
molested, and  stopped  a  minute  in  the  hall 
to  calm  the  wild  thoughts  which  this  clash 
with  his  men  had  stirred  up,  and  not  dar- 
ing to  stop  to  mourn  over  the  affair,  lest 
his  resolution  should  fail  him,  went  on  to 
the  study. 

Air.  Winterhalter  was  there,  and  an- 
swered his  rap  with  a  face  that  betrayed 
some  surprise  at  this  call  before  breakfast. 
"But  come  in,  conic  in,  Gilbert,"  he  said; 
"I'm  not  very  busy,  —  only  a  letter  or 
two  that  won't  mind  waiting,  and  I'm  al- 
ways glad  to  see  you." 

The  Captain  secretly  doubted  whether  he 
could  say  that,  after  his  story  was  .told, 
but  followed  the  Principal  in  and  sat  down 
in  the  chair  which  he  placed  beside  his 
writing-desk ;  and  then  he  was  at  a  loss  what 
to  say. 


334  GILBERT   STARR. 

Mr.  Winterhalter  looked  over  his  letters, 
up  at  the  clock,  askance  at  his  head-boy, 
and  waited.  At  last,  "Mr.  Winterhalter!" 
desperately. 

"Well,  Gilbert?"  wondering  what  tho 
Captain  was  so  nervous  about. 

"I — I  deceived  you  a  long  time  ago, 
sir,  and — I'm  ashamed  and  sorry  for  it. 
I  wish  —  if  you  could  only  forgive  mo  — 
that  —  that —  Oh,  Mr.  Winterhalter,  I've 
been  very  dishonorable  !  " 

The  Principal  eyed  Gilbert  keenly,  and 
looked  puzzled. 

"  I  don't  understand,"  he  said ;  "  you're 
not  dishonorable,  Gilbert." 

"Oh,  but  I  am — I  was  ! "  said  he,  every 
word  a  wound  to  his  pride,  and  his  cheeks 
glowing  as  he  made  this  confession ;  "I 
deceived  you  about  the  flag,  Mr.  Winter- 
halter.  We — I,  I  mean,  was  afraid  we 
should  lose  it  on  account  of  Tom  Fowler's 


KEBELLION.  335 

lessons,  and  so  I  helped  him, — wrote  them 
out  for  him,  and  got  out  his  problems, 
and — and  so  got  the  flag  that  way." 

A  long  silence  followed,  in  which  Gilbert 
did  not  look  up  once,  thinking,  in  the  depth 
of  his  humiliation,  that  deceit  and  dishonor 
led  their  followers  a  hard,  hard  way.  Then, 
"  But  weren't  the  rest  of  the  class  know- 
ing to  this,  sir?" 

"Y  —  e—  s,"  Gilbert  confessed;  "but 
it  was  I  who  proposed  it,  and  I  who  car- 
ried it  along,  and — and  I  want  to  bear 
all  the  blame,  sir." 

"Do   the   rest   agree   to   that?" 

"N — n — o,  perhaps  not;  I  believe  they 
are  not  agreed  at  all,  sir." 

Another  long  silence.  Then  Mr.  Win- 
terhalter  got  up,  came  to  Gilbert,  and 
looked  straight  into  his  eyes  for  a  few 
seconds  before  he  said, — 


336  GILBERT   STARR. 

"  One  more  question.     Did  the  boys  op- 
pose your  making  a  confession  of  this?" 
'  "A— little." 

The  principal  looked  down  at  him,  his 
face  softening  more  and  more  as  he  looked. 
At  last  he  said, — 

"  I  was  disappointed  in  you,  Gilbert, 
but — but  you're  an  honest  fellow,  and  I'm 
proud  of  that.  And,  my  dear  boy,  I  think 
I  know  something  of  the  struggle  you've 
been  through,  and  what  you  are  striving 
for,  and  what  you  will  have  to  meet ;  and 
do  you  think  I  can  talk  about  blame  or 
disgrace  ?  No ;  it's  the  farthest  thing  from 
my  heart;  and  if  you  always  show  your- 
self as  noble  as  you  have  this  morning, 
why — why — Gilbert,  give  me  your  hand," 
said  Mr.  Winterhalter. 

Gilbert  was  surprised ;  his  face  showed 
that,  and  he  was  touched  by  these  kind 
words,  and  so,  perhaps,  he  was  not  sorry 


•   REBELLION.  337 

that  the  breakfast-bell  rang  just  then  and 
gave  him  an  opportunity  to  slip  away,  even 
though  it  prevented  him  from  hearing  what 
the  Principal  would  have  said  further. 

None  of  his  friends  spoke  to  him  at  the 
breakfast-table,  and  it  was  rather  a  silent 
meal  for  all;  and  when  it  was  over,  the 
Boat  Club  disappeared  and  left  him  there 
alone.  Of  course  this  hurt  Gilbert  some- 
what, though  he  did  not  show  it.  "  They- 
'll feel  better-natured  soon,"  he  thought; 
"  especially  when  they  find  there's  no  harm 
to  come  to  them  from  what  I've  done;" 
and  so  he  lingered  there  by  himself,  won- 
dering what  had  become  of  Bay.  A  half- 
hour  passed,  then  another,  and  then  Perry 
came  in. 

"Oh,  here  you  are!"  he  exclaimed; 
"  I've  been  searching  everywhere  for  you, 
Gilbert.  And  do  you  know  they're  terri- 
bly angry  at  you  up-stairs  ?  But  you  won't 
22 


338  GILBERT   STAER. 

mind,  will  you?  Gates  and  Albert  Turner 
talked —  But  they  wouldn't  let  me  stay, 
and  sent  me  to  give  you  this." 

Gilbert  took  the  little  note  and  opened 
it,  while  Perry  watched  his  face  to  see 
what  its  purport  might  be.  This  was 
what  the  Captain  read  :  — 

"  GILBERT  STARR,  — The  Boat  Club  would 
like  to  see  you  in  their  room  a  few  min- 
utes, on  business.  ALBERT  TURNER." 

He  crumpled  it  up  in  his  hand,  hesi- 
tated a  few  seconds,  and  finally  went.  He 
walked  into  the  chamber  to  find  all  his 
class  assembled, — Albert  Turner  at  the 
writing-table,  the  rest  scattered  about  in 
the  chairs  and  on  the  foot  of  their  beds. 
As  cool  and  quiet  as  ever,  he  looked  at 
the  lowering  faces  a  second,  and  then  sat 


REBELLION.  339 

down  on  his  own  bed,  waiting  to  see  what 
was  \ranted  of  him. 

The  secretary  fidgeted  about  in  his  chair, 
and  looked  at  Tom  and  Gates  uneasily, 
then  at  Bob  and  Barry,  and  failing  to 
make  himself  understood,  exclaimed  impa- 
tiently,— 

"Come,**who's   to   be  spokesman?" 

No  one  stirred  at  first,  then  Tom  got 
up,  saying,  in  his  clumsy  way,  — 

:f  "Well,  I  'spose  it  might  be  said  first 
as  last,  even  if  it's  me  that  blunders  it 
out.  The  truth  is,  we've  got  tired  of  your 
rule,  Stair,  and  we  think  the  Club  might 
have  a  better  captain.  You've  been  kind 
of  dropping  off  from  what  you  used  to  be, 
and  v,hen  a  fellow  gets  so  that  he  turns 
traitor  to  his  own  men,  we'd  like  to  be 
excused  from  training  in  the  same  com- 
pany." 

Gilbert's   face   flushed   crimson,   his   eyes 


340  GILBERT   STARE. 

began   to   blaze,    and   he   got   up   with   the 
old   fiery   spirit   within  him. 

"  Tom,  you  sha'n't  talk  so  to  me  ! " 
exclaimed.  "What  do  you  think  I'll  bear? 
Not  that,  I  can  tell  you ! "  and  he  took 
Toni  by  the  shoulders  as  if  he  intended 
to  give  him  a  shaking;  but  he  remem- 
bered himself  presently,  and  turned  away, 
saying,  "  It  isn't  worth  fighting  about,  but 
I  won't  hear  any  more.  Now,  Turner, 
what  do  you  want  of  me  ? " 

:t  Tom  has  told  you,"  said  the  secretary, 
curtly. 

'  Well,  do  you  mean  that  you  want  me 
to  resign,  or  that  you  rebel,  or  what?" 
the  Captain  asked. 

"We  mean  both,"  said  Tom.  "If  you 
won't  resign,  we'll  rebel.  We  won't  serve 
under  you,  anyhow." 

Gilbert's  pride  was  roused.  His  men 
talking  to  him  like  that !  his  men  threat- 


KEBELLION.  341 

ening  rebellion !  his  men  calling  him  trai- 
tor! 

"You  know,"  he  said,  proudly,  "that 
3'ou  can't  force  me  out.  You  put  me  in 
this  place  for  as  long  as  I  am  in  school. 
The  head-boy  always  has  it ; "  then  he 
was  sorry  for  the  words  as  soon  as  they 

+ 

were  spoken,  for  who  could  wish  to  stay 
where  he  was  hated?  "Stop!"  he  ex- 
claimed ;  "  I  don't  mean  that.  "  4  don't 
wish  the  place,  if  you  feel  so.  Do  you 
speak  for  them  all,  Tom  Fowler?" 

Now  Gilbert  certainly  thought  Ray  would 
stand  by  him.  He  expected  it;  looked  to 
see  him  cry  out  in  his  eager,  impetuous 
way,  when  he  asked  this  question;  but  in- 
stead, he  averted  his  face  and  was  silent. 
And  this  was  the  keenest  cut  which  he  had 
felt. 

"Yes,"  said  Tom;  "I  speak  for  them 
all.  If  any  disagree,  let  'em  speak  out." 


342  GILBERT    STARR. 

There  was  a  significant  silence,  during 
which  Gilbert's  cheeks  slowly  reddened  and 
paled  at  the  thought  of  all  his  friends  de- 
serting him  so ;  then  he  said,  gravely,  "  I 
resign  my  place,"  and  went  out. 

"I  declare,  I'm  glad  it's  over!"  said 
Tom,  as  the  door  closed ;  "it  comes  kind 
o'  hard  to  put  the  old  fellow  out  of  his 
place  in  that  fashion.  He  feels  it,  you 
may  be  sure." 

"  Now  don't  you  go  to  turning  chicken- 
hearted,"  said  the  secretary. 

"Don't  you  bother!  I  ain't  made  of 
stone,  as  you  are,  but  I  can  manage,  I 
guess." 

Eay  got  up,  thinking,  "It's  come,  just 
as  I  said ;  and  oh,  I  wish — I  wish  I  had 
stuck  to  him  through  thick  and  thin ! 
But  he  deserves  it,  anyhow,  the  obstinate 
fellow !  and —  Poor  old  fellow  I  " 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

HOW   HE    ENDURED   IT. 

TjTOR,  a  boy  who  had  always  ruled,  and 
-*-  ruled  strongly,  —  for  one  accustomed  to 
be  looked  to  as  the  head  of  the  school,  the 
arbitrator  of  all  disputes  and  quarrels,  the 
boy-authority  from  whom  there  was  no  ap- 
peal, this  was  a  great  tumble.  True,  he 
was  head-boy  still,  because  he  ranked  high- 
est in  the  highest  class,  but  with  his  com- 
mand taken  away,  his  men  all  denouncing 
and  disowning  him,  his  honor  pronounced 
to  be  dishonor  by  his  former  friends,  and 
all  his  good  qualities  a  sham,  Gilbert  sud- 
denly found  himself  without  influence  or 
authority. 


344  GILBERT    STARR. 

This  discovery  shocked  him  a  little  at  first, 
then  he  resolutely  set  about  accustoming 
himself  to  the  new  phase  of  affairs.  "  It 
is  as  Ray  prophesied,"  he  said  to  himself; 
"but  I  can  endure  it  I  guess,  for  I'm  sure 
I'm  right.  Who'd  have  thought  it  would 
come  to  this  ?  and  that  Ray  would  desert 
me? — and  all — just  all  of  it  —  because  I 
chose  to  do  what  seemed  right !  " 

You  may  surmise  who  took  Gilbert's 
place.  It  was  Philip  Gates.  Albert  Turn- 
er made  a  short  struggle  for  the  position, 
but  the  new-comer,  in  some  mysterious  man- 
ner, got  the  most  votes,  and  from  thence- 
forth was  Captain  Philip  Gates.  Ray  Hun- 
ter, with  a  little  striving,  might  have  secured 
the  honor,  but  he  said,  "  I'd  sooner  go 
and  hang  myself  than  try  to  fill  Gilbert 
Starr's  place.  Gates  may  have  it,  if  he 
wants  it,  —  he's  welcome.  For  my  part, 
I  prefer  private  life  at  present." 


HOW   HE   ENDURED   IT.  345 

Tom  Fowler  said,  "  Catch  me  in  that 
place?  No,  sir!  it  would  look  too  much  as 
if  I  had  been  undermining  in  order  to  step 
into  the  Captain's  shoes.  Yes,  let  Gates 
have  it  if  he  wants  it ;  he's  welcome  enough, 
I'm  sure." 

So  Gates  had  it,  and  his  first  act  was  to 
persuade  them  all  to  "  cut "  Gilbert,  which 
they  did.  Gilbert  did  not  appear  to  mind 
this  very  much,  though  it  was  rather  awk- 
ward at  first  to  sit  at  the  table  amid  all  the 
merry  chatter  and  talk,  without  being  spoken 
to  or  noticed  in  any  way.  And  at  this 
juncture  he  began  to  miss  Eay's  sprightly 
tongue  and  cheery  presence  sadly.  The 
two  often  met  in  the  hall,  or  at  recitations, 
and  sometimes  even  read  off  the  same  book ; 
but  Ray's  face  was  always  cold,  disdainful, 
and  unyielding,  —  belying  his  heart,"  Gilbert 
was  sure.  Of  course  this  state  of  affairs 
speedily  made  itself  known  to  the  Winter- 


346  GILBERT    STARE. 

halters.  The  good  lady  met  Gilbert  in 
the  hall  one  day,  took  his  hand  and  said, 
all  the  while  looking  kindly  into  his  eyes, 
'  We  know  all  about  it,  dear,  —  the  whole 
story.  Yon  mustn't  ask  me  how  I  found 
out,  but  'twas  half  an  accident ;  and  we  are 
happier  over  it  than  anything  you  ever  did 
before.  Mr.  Winterhalter  says,  '  Gilbert's 
enduring  for  the  sake  of  the  right  and  the 
true,  and  when  he  comes  out  of  the  trouble, 
he'll  be  stronger  and  more  faithful  to  him- 
self and  God.'  And  that's  what  I  think." 
"But  —  but,  do  you  think  I  shall  ever 
come  out?"  he  asked,  showing  the  first  signs 
of  depression  which  he  had  ever  exhibited. 
He  was  in  sombre  spirits  that  day,  and  the 
boys  had  annoyed  him  in  a  hundred  petty 
ways,  till  his  resolution  gave  away  a  little 
and  let  out  those  words. 

"Ever   come   out   of  the   trouble ?"  suid 
she,  her  motherly  eyes  opening  wide  ;  "why, 


HOW   HE    ENDURED   IT.  347 

to  be  sure  you  will !  Eight  always  tri- 
umphs, —  always.  It  may  not  be  to-day 
nor  to-inorrow,  in  one  year  or^a  score, 
but  at  last  it  gains  the  Victory.  And  so 
with  you,  —  a  month  may  not  bring  the  end, 
nor  this  term,  perhaps,  but  that  it  will  come 
and  come  happily,  you  may  believe." 

"  I  haven't  a  friend  in  school,  except  Perry 
Kent,"  said  Gilbert,  with  just  a  trace  of 
sadness  in  his  eyes. 

"Has  Ray  forsaken  you?"  asked  Mrs. 
Winterhalter,  quickly. 

Gilbert's  grave  "Yes,"  almost  a  sig;i, 
showed  how  keenly  he  felt  this  desertion. 

"  Well,  it  is  a  hard  thing  to  lose  all  one's 
friends  and  one's  dearest  friend  at  once," 
said  she,  kindly;  "but  I  think  you  made 
up  your  mind  for  anything  that  might  hap- 
pen when  you  started,  didn't  you?" 

"  Xot  for  that !  "  said  he. 

"But  take  heart!"  said  Mrs.  W internal- 


348  GILBERT    STARR. 

ter;  "you  and  Ray  can't  be  enemies  more 
than  a  month  at  one  time.  I  predict  that !  " 
said  she,  smiling;  "  and  now,  if  there  were 
not  such  a  great  basket  of  mending  waiting 
for  me  in  the  parlor,  I  would  stay  and  talk 
longer,  but  as  there  is  I  must  go  on.  But 
when  you're  lonesome  or  discouraged,  come 
into  the  parlor, — at  any  time,  —  you  know 
the  way,  Gilbert ! "  The  good  lady  left  a 
little  streak  of  sunshine  behind,  her  to  glad- 
den his  way  for  the  rest  of  the  day ;  and 
most  days  he  was  generally  cheerful  and 
light-hearted  enough. 

Day  after  day  went  by,  Gilbert  shut  out 
by  his  class  from  all  their  sports  and  plans, 
passed  by,  overlooked.  There  was  Perry 
Kent  left,  and  that  was  all.  It  was  not 
strange  that  in  this  long  and  wearisome  state 
of  affairs  he  should  find  the  little  boy  good 
company,  and  think  him  a  great  comfort ; 
and  that  the  little  fellow  in  return  clur.y 


HOW   HE    ENDURED    IT.  349 

closer  than  ever  to  his  big  friend.  The 
friendship  between  them  was  something 
pleasant  to  see,  —  Perry  always  eager  and 
anxious  to  shield  his  protector  from  the  idle 
talk  and  stories  which  floated  about  school, 
and  grated  so  on  Gilbert's  feelings  when  he 
heard  them ;  and  so,  when  some  malicious 
member  of  the  Boat  Club  would  whisper  a 
sneering  thing  about  their  old  Captain  into 
his  ears,  hoping  it  would  be  repeated  and 
hit  the  mark  at  which  it  was  shot,  he 
wisely  and  kindly  let  it  go  no  further,  and 
Gilbert  was  left  undisturbed.  Not  many  of 
the  Club  would  stoop  to  this  way  of  wound- 
ing their  enemy,  but  a  few  endeavored  to 
do  it  more  than  once,  meeting,  thanks  to 
Gilbert's  protege,  with  but  very  indifferent 
success. 

And  did  they  not  miss  him  all  this  time? 
Yes ;  and  at  first  very  sorely,  though  noth- 
ing could  tempt  them  to  own  it,  of  course. 


350  GILBERT   STARR. 

Gates's  rule  was  vastly  different  from  Gil- 
bert's, and  some  of  them  secretly  chafed 
under  it;  and  Gates  himself  was  a  very 
different  youth.  In  his  uniform  he  looked 
as  finely  as  the  old  Captain,  though  may- 
be not  quite  so  erect,  and  he  could  han- 
dle an  oar  tolerably,  "but — but — "  as  Tom 
Fowler  secretly  confessed  to  Ray,  as  they 
walked  up  from  the  boat-house  one  even- 
ing after  practice,  "he's  no  more  like  our 
t'other  Cap'n  than  —  than  I  am." 

[t  Well,  you  don't  want  him  to  be,  I 
suppose,"  said  Ray;  "that  wouldn't  suit 
you  at  all." 

"  Not  just  like  him,  to  be  sure,"  Tom 
said,  "  but  something  like.  Gilbert  Starr 
beat  everything  at  being  Captain." 

"Wouldn't  you  have  him  back  now,  if 
you  could?"  Ray  asked,  quietly. 

"Not  I!"  his  wrath  blazing  up  fiercely. 
"He's  set  himself  up  for  a  pious,  preach- 


HOW   HE   ENDURED    IT.  351 

ing  old  deacon,  and  he  may  have  it  all 
to  himself.  Gilbert  Starr  is  a  treacherous, 
sne— " 

Ray's  hand  went  over  Tom's  mouth, 
much  to  that  young  gentleman's  astonish- 
ment and  indignation. 

"  What  did  you  mean?"  he  demanded. 

"  Gilbert's  my  friend,"  the  other  an- 
swered, simply. 

"  Goodness  gracious  !  now  you're  fibbing 
it,  Hunter !  Why,  you're  the  coldest  to- 
wards him  of  any  of  us  ! "  cried  Tom. 

"  I  know  it,"  Ray  answered,  remorse- 
fully;  "but  I  don't  mean  a  bit  of  it.  Oh, 

« 
Tom   Fowler,  I'm  the  miserablest  fellow  iu 

Rainford  town ! " 

'  You  must  be,  if  you're  spooney  ing 
over  Gilbert  Starr.  But,  confound  it !  why 
don't  you  kick  the  traces  and  get  free?  1 
would,  if  I  felt  like  that." 

"So  would  I— if  I  could,"   said  Ray. 


352  GILBERT   STARR. 

There  was  a  trace  of  frost  in  the  air, 
and  the  rest  of  the  boaters  came  running 
up  behind  them,  and  from  thence  they- 
raced  up  to  the  house  to  get  warm.  Gil- 
bert sat  on  the  piazza  in  the  dusk,  the 
Club  all  brushing  by  him  in  silence  and 
with  averted  eyes  up  to  their  room,  Ray 
as  grim  as  any  of  them. 

"  Well,  you  are  the  queerest  chap,"  whis- 
pered Tom  to  him,  as  they  came  together 
on  the  stairs;  "I  couldn't  have  done  that, 
if  I  felt  as  you  do,  to  have  saved  my  neck. 
With  me,  it's  act  just  as  you  feel;  I  can't 
help  it  no  more  than  breathing.  But  you ! 
Oh,  Ray  Hunter,  you're  the  strangest  mix- 
ture ! " 

"I  know — I'm  lying  all  the  time;  but 
_but—" 

The  clamor  in  the  hall  drowned  the  rest 
of  if,  and :  Tom's  curiosity  was  not  great 
enough  to  lead  him  to  say  more  on  the 


HOW  HE   ENDURED  IT.  353 

subject ;  but  it  was  quite  certain  that  Ray 
was,  as  he  said,  the  most  miserable  fel- 
low in  Rainford  town. 

But  what  Gilbert  lost  in  one  way  was 
made  up  to  him  in  others.  He  had  nearly 
twice  as  much  time  to  himself  as  before, 
and  now  his  studies  began  to  flourish  vig- 
orously. When  he  was  Captain  Starr,  his 
time  was  so  taken  up  by  boating  and  all 
the  trifling  matters  of  sports  and  summer 
pleasures,  that  books  were  almost  a  sec- 
ondary matter,  and  he  had  only  studied 
enough  to  get  th<e  day's  lessons  and  keep 
his  rank.  Xow  there  were  mornings  and 
evenings  all  to  himself,  or  with  no  one  by 
but  Perry,  and,  somehow,  he  was  never 
an  interruption;  and  in  consequence,  he 
began  to  go  on  and  up,  distancing  his 
companions  wh6  had  stilf  games  and  boat- 
practice  to  employ  their  attention. 

But  all    pleasures   were   not  quite   given 

23 


354  GILBERT   STARR. 

up,  though  they  were  to  be  enjoyed  al- 
most alone.  He  chanced  to  remember,  one 
Saturday  afternoon,  that  Perry  Kent  had 
never  taken  a  sail  upon  the  river. 

"  I  don't  believe  there's  another  boy  in 
school  can  say  the  same,"  Gilbert  thought 
to  himself;  "  and  I'll  just  go  and  give 
him  a  good  float  down-stream.  It  will  do 
me  good,  too,  and  the  river  looks  its  pret- 
tiest now." 

He  put  away  the  books  which  he  had 
been  conning,  got  his  cap  and  rowing- 
jacket,  and  went  in  search  of  his  protege. 

Perry  was  all  by  himself  in  a  far  cor- 
ner of  the  lawn,  the  other  boys  having  tak- 
en themselves  either  to  the  river  or  woods. 

"And  why  didn't  you  go  too?"  Gilbert 
asked,  when  he  found  him  there. 

The  boy  evaded  the  question  as  long  as 
possible  >  till  his  protector  forced  him  to 
reveal  his  reason;  and  then  it  came  out 


HOW  HE  E:NDURED  IT.  355 

that  they  had  refused  to  let  him  accom- 
pany them  because  "you're  just  one  of 
Gilbert  Starr's  friends,  and  if  you  stick  to 
him,  you  may  stay  with  him;  we  won't 
have  you,"  as  they  said. 

Gilbert  bit  his  lips,  saying,  almost  bit- 
terly, — 

"Anything  that  I  have  to  do  with  suf- 
fers. Why  don't  you  renounce  me,  Perry, 
and  go  over  to  the  other  side?" 

rt  You?  because  I  can't, — I  wouldn't  for 
the  whole  world,  Gilbert." 

The  ex-Captain  smiled  a  little,  and  said, 
at  last, — 

"Well,  if  everybody  has  gone  off  to 
spend  the  afternoon,  we  might  as  well 

go   too ;    though    it   makes   little   difference 

/ 
whether  we  go  or  stay,  so  far  as  they  are 

concerned.  Wouldn't  you  like  a  sail,  Per- 
ry?" 


356  GILBERT    STARR. 

"A  sail,  and  with  you,  Gilbert?  Oh, 
yes!" 

"  Then  come  down  to  the  wharf,  and  if 
there's  any  boats  left,  we'll  go  down  the 
river  a  ways.  It's  just  the  day  for  a  row, 
— so  cool  and  bright,  and  the  river  never'll 
look  prettier,  for  the  trees  begin  to  fade 
already.  Pretty  soon  it  will  be  cold  weath- 
er, and  then  good-by  to  boating  for  this 
year.  Well,  we've  had  some  good  races, 
anyhow,"  said  Gilbert,  with  something 
like  a  sigh. 

Down  the  slope  they  went  in  silence, 
the  grasshoppers  flying  up  in  little  droves 
before  their  feet,  as  they  brushed  the  dry 
and  rustling  grass.  The  sunshine  was 
warm  and  .pleasant  everywhere,  and  over 
all  the  land  there  was  such  peace  and  quiet 
as  only  October's  fair  and  golden  days  can 
bring. 


HOW   HE    ENDURED    IT.  357 

"  How  still  it  is  !"  said  Perry,—"  just  like 
Sunday." 

There  was  one  boat  secured  at  the  old 
wharf-post,  —  a  little  skiff,  rising  and  falling 
with  the  ripples, — and  into  this  they  got  and 
Gilbert  cast  off. 

'  The  '  Triton'  is  gone,"  he  said,  as  they 
pushed  out  beside  the  boat-house,  "  and  the 
Club  must  be  on  the  river  somewhere."  He 
worked  his  boat  out  to  the  mid-channel, 
and  then  allowed  it  to  drop  down-stream 
with  the  slow  current.  What  a  bright  after- 
noon it  was  !  —  so  much  fairer  out  there  on 
the  river,  with  the  great  blue  cloudless  arch 
above,  and  the  great  blue  dimpling  flood 
beneath,  heaving  and  swelling  and  bearing 
them  down  on  the  throbs  of  its  bosom. 
Gilbert  threw  off  his  cap,  shook  back  his 
hair  in  the  steady  puffs  of  breeze  that  made 
the  river  their  highway,  and  looking  at  the 
little  boy  in  the  stem,  said,  with  one  of  his 


358  GILBERT    STARR. 

cheery  old  smiles,  "  This  is  like  life  once 
more  !  Somehow,  it  makes  a  new  fellow  of 
me,  as  if  all  my  troubles  flew  away  with 
the  breeze ;  and  oh,  I  wish  we  had  nothing 
to  do  but  go  on  and  on,  down  to  the 
sea." 

The  river-bank  flitted  by,  gay  with 
many-hued  asters,  crimson-leaved  creepers, 
the  yellow  drapery  of  grape-vines,  with  here 
and  there  the  deep  green  of  a  cedar  thrust- 
ing up  its  tapering  head  through  the  bril- 
liant tangle  of  bush  and  vine.  Wherever 
there  was  room  in  the  shallows,  the  grass 
waved  and  rustled,  still  rank,  and  vivid 
in  hue  as  ever.  Before  them  the  river 
spread  wide  and  for  till  it  hid  itself  between 
the  hills  below,  —  the  hills  that  glowed 
softly  with  their  wealth  of  red  and  yellow, 
sober  russet,  tawny  orange,  and  rnaronc 
all  blended  by  distance  into  rich,  subdued 
color ;  behind  them  lay  Riverside  with  its 


HOW  HE   EXT  JRED   IT.  359 

roofs  and  towers  mirrored  in  the  dancing 
tide  below. 

"  How  pleasant !  —  how  beautiful !  "  said 
Perry,  drawing  in  long  breath  ?  as  he  gazed. 
"  Oh,  Gilbert  isn't  this  the  loveliest  place 
you  ever  saw?" 

"Yes,  /  think  so,  always;  it's  all  the 
home  I've  got,  you  see,  so  that  it's  home 
to  me,  with  all  the  rest  of  the  brightness 
added." 

"  And  we're  getting  'way  down  till  Mr. 
Wiuterhalter's  meadows  have  almost  faded 
out.  It  doesn't  take  long  to  corne  on  this 
current." 

"  No,'*  said  Gilbert,  turning  the  boat's 
head  a  little  ;  "  we're  a  good  way  from  home 
already.  We'll  go  in  toward  shore  a  little. 
Look  at  the  grape-vines,  Perry  !  I  wonder 
if  there  are  any  frost-grapes  left?  We  can 
look,  at  any  rate." 

A  little  while  after,  the   boat's  prow  ran 


3 GO  GILBERT    STARR. 

in  under  the  luxuriant  growth  of  vine   and 
willows,    mingled    with   alders    and   thinly- 
scattered   maples,    most   of  them  robbed  of. 
their   flaming    robes,    and   here  Gilbert  fas- 
tened  the   boat,    saying,  — 

"  Now  for  frost-grapes  !  They're  here  as 
thick  as  —  as  —  I  don't  know  what.  I  won- 
der why  Roth's  boys  haven't  found  them  be- 
fore? Just  look  over  your  head,  Perry 
Kent !  "  The  leaves  were  so  few  and  thin 
that  Perry  could  see  the  grapes  —  small, 
black  things  —  hanging  in  the  greatest  pro- 
fusion. :t  They  need  just  a  smart  touch  of 
frost  to  make  'em  good,"  said  Gilbert, 
throwing  down  a  quantity,  "  and  they've  had 
it.  Do  you  like  them?" 

Before  his  protege  could  answer,  there  was 
a  rustling  and  crashing  of  steps  in  the 
underbrush,  and  then  a  tall  figure  pushed 
through, — in  search  of  grapes,  too,  it  was 
evident. 


HOW   HE    ENDURED    IT.  361 

"  Forrest !  "  exclaimed  Gilbert. 

"Gilbert  Starr!"  cried  the  new-comer. 

:t  Well,  I  was  just  wondering  why  your 
school  hadn't  found  these,"  said  Gilbert, 
pleasantly. 

"  And  I've  been  waiting  a  whole  week 
for  this  afternoon,"  said  Captain  Forrest. 
"  My  men  wanted  to  be  on  the  river,  but  I 
sent  'em  off  alone  and  came  down  here 
afoot—" 

"  To  find  me  eating  your  grapes  ! "  smiled 
Gilbert. 

"No,  there's  enough,  I  hope!  and  I'd 
rather  see  you  than  the  grapes,  a  hundred 
times.  '  How  are  you,  Starr,  and  why  don't 
you  ever  come  over  to  Riverside  to  see 
me?"  Forrest  had  professed  a  great  liking 
for  Gilbert  since  the  rescue  at  the  boat 
race. 

Gilbert    pulled    down    a    long,    swaying 


362  GILBERT   STARR. 

branch,  dark  with  fruit,  and  said,  after  a 
little  pause, — 

"  Don't  you  know?  —  haven't  you  heard? 
I've  resigned  iny  place,  and  my  men  cut  me 
a  long  time  ago." 

"  Yes,  I  knew  you  weren't  Captain,  but 
I  didn't  know  they'd  cut  you !  Why,  what 
do  they  mean,  and  what  happened?"  Here 
Forrest  spied  the  boat  and  Perry,  and  got 
into  it,  saying,  "  Come,  sit  down,  Starr. 
You've  got  grapes  enough  on  that  branch 
for  us  all,  and  I  want  to  know  how  you  got 
into  such  trouble." 

Gilbert  followed  him,  not  at  all  inclined  to 
reveal  the  cause  of  his  trouble,  which  the 
other  perceived,  and  added,  politely,  — 

"  Oh,  never  mind  about  it,  if  you  don't 
wish  to.  I  thought  perhaps  you'd  just  as 
lief  as  not." 

"  It  was  about  our  prize-flag,"  said  Gil- 
bert, as  he  sat  down ;  and  then  he  went  on 


HOW   HE   ENDURED   IT.  363 

with  some  of  the  particulars,  his  tone  get- 
ting lower  and  lower  till  Perry  could  not, 
hear  what  he  said.  But  his  friend's  cheeks 
were  so  red,  and  Forrest  gazed  so  steadfastly 
in  the  water,  that  he  was  quite  sure  Gilbert 
was  telling  his  old  rival  the  whole  story, 
from  beginning  to  end.  When  he  finished, 
there  was  a  long  silence  on  their  part,  but 
the  river  washed  and  rippled  against  its 
bank,  and  with  a  dip  and  plash  of  oars  the 
"Triton"  and  its  crew  shot  past,  coming  up 
from  an  excursion  down  the  river.  Gil- 
bert looked  after  them, — his  face  a  little  sad, 
perhaps,  for  Forrest  took  his  hand,  saying 
comfortingly,  — 

"  I  can  feel  for  you,  old  fellow,  for  don't 
I  know  how  it  would  hurt  me  to  see  the 
'Mermaid'  flying  by,  and  I  not  even  looked 
at?  I'm  no  good  at  consoling  a  body,  but  I 
do  feel  for  you,  and  I  wish'  you'd  let  me 
be  your  friend  through  it  all.  A  fellow 


364  GILBERT   STARR. 

mayn't  mind  it  at  first,  but  when  he's  cut  by 
everybody  for  weeks  at  a  time,  it's  dull  and 
lonesome,  anyhow!"  ^ 

Gilbert  thanked  him,  and  when  the  "  Tri- 
ton" was  out  of  sight,  said,  — 

"It  is  hard  to  bear, — I  don't  mind  con- 
fessing it  to  you,  —  but  which  would  you 
do,  Forrest,  —  stick  to  what  you  think  is 
right  and  true,  or  give  up  to  them?" 

"I'm  not  much  at  doing  what's  right 
and  true,"  he  answered,  slightly  coloring ; 
"but  —  but  I'd  stick  to  my  principles,  now 
that  I'd  got  started  with  'em." 

After  another  attack  on  the  grape-vine, 
Gilbert  said  it  was  time  to  go  home ;  so 
the  boat  was  turned  about.  They  took 
Forrest  with  them  and  carried  him  back 
to  Riverside,  turning  from  their  course  to 
that  bank  of  the  river  for  the  purpose. 

When  the  Professor's  head-boy  landed  at 


HOW   HE    ENDURED   IT.  365 

the  steps,  he  turned  about  and  wrung  Gil- 
bert's hand,  saying,  — 

'*  You're  right,  Starr,  and  I  hope  you'll 
succeed.  I  do  a  thousand  things  myself 
that  I  hate  and  detest,  but  I  can't  get  rid 
of  it.  I  don't  believe  I  could  ever  do  as 
you  have  done ;  I  haven't  the  courage." 

The  little  wharf  was  silent  and  deserted 
when  they  got  over  there,  and  the  "Tri- 
ton" in  its  place.  Gilbert  said,  cheerily, 
as  he  got  out  to  fasten  their  little  skiff, — 

"This  has  been  a  pleasant  afternoon,  and 
I'll  go  boating  every  Saturday  till  cold 
weather  comes ;  see  if  I  don't.  It  makes 
me  feel  like  a  new  fellow.  Tired,  Perry?" 


CHAPTER    XVIII. 

"MY  LESSONS." 

days  went  by,  and  October  began 
to  wane.  The  glory  on  the  hills  was 
dimmed,  and  began  to  fade  into  sombre, 
chilly  nakedness.  Yet  now  and  then  a 
bright  day  shone  out,  clear  and  warm  as 
summer,  as  if  Mother  Nature's  heart  re- 
lented, and  she  were  half  a  good  mind  to 
keep  winter  at  bay,  and  let  the  earth  blos- 
som and  bask  on  in  warmth  and  shine. 
The  "Triton"  was  laid  up  for  the  season, 
and  all  the  little  boats  along  the  river-bank 
disappeared ;  and  since  there  was  no  more 
boating,  there  was  ball-play  on  the  lawn 
morning  and  night. 


"  MY  LESSONS."  367 

Gilbert  Starr  applied  himself  to  his  books 
determinedly,    and    consequently   made    his 
way   upward   in   a   manner  which  delighted 
Mr.    Winterhalter  vastly.     And  it  was  also 
quite    certain    that    he   walked    upward    in 
more  ways   than   one ;     and   even   his   ene- 
mies  did   not  deny   that.      And  all  uncon- 
sciously  he   began  to    show,    as   he  walked 
on    day   after    day,    how   a    boy  might    be 
tender  and   true  without  being  weak ;    val- 
iant and  fearless   for  the    Eight,    and    yet 
not  a  prig;    fearing  and  remembering  God, 
yet    strong    and    manly,    and    a  boy   still. 
And   since  he   did  this  unconsciously,  with 
no  thought  of  what  his   conduct  might  be 
showing  to   others,  it   came   about,  after   a 
time,    that   some   eyes   were   opened  to  the 
fact  that   Gilbert   Starr   was   not    a    sham. 
None   of   his   enemies   confessed   this ;     oh, 
no! — that  would  have  been  owning  that  he 
was   right  all  the  time,   and  that  they  had 


368  GILBERT   STAKE. 

wronged  him;  but  in  their  secret  hearts 
they  knew  it,  felt  it,  and  owned  it;  and 
so  respected  him  accordingly.  But  did 
they  relent  at  all?  Not  a  whit.  Boys 
are  as  obstinate  as  —  anything;  and  Mr. 
Winterhalter's  were  no  exception.  What ! 
let  Gilbert  himself,  and  the  whole  school, 
and  everybody  know  that  they  had  wronged 
him?  that  he  was  not  a  sham  and  a  trai- 
tor? that  he  was  real,  true,  solid  gold? 
No  !  that  would  never,  never  do.  Secretly 
they  might  own  it;  openly,  not  yet,  not 
yet! 

But  there  was  one  heart  in  the  Boat 
Club  which  grew  desperate  waiting  so  long, 
and  that,  you  will  readily  surmise,  was  Ray 
Hunter's.  Without  the  courage  at  first  to 
break  away  from  his  friends  and  stand  up 
for  Gilbert  and  —  as  he  thought  —  his  out- 
rageous opinions,  he  had  only  one  choice, 
and  that  was,  to  be  numbered  among  his 


"  MY   LESSONS."  369 

enemies.  Here,  of  course,  he  was  miser- 
able enough,  for  the  disgraced  Captain  was 
as  dear  to  him  as  was  ever  one  boy  to  an- 
other; and  to  pass  him  by,  day  after  day, 
without  a  word  or  look, — to  shun  him, 
when  he  longed  so  earnestly  to  be  with  him, 
comfort  him,  help  him  to  bear  it  aU,  was 
as  much  as  he  could  possibly  endure. 
What  was  meant  as  a  punishment  for  Gil- 
bert was  the  torment  of  his  life.  Some- 
times he  fancied  the  ex-Captain  was  sad  and 
suffering  under  his  misfortunes,  and  then 
his  own  heart  was  heavy  and  miserable. 

"  Oh,  if  I  could  just  help  the  poor, 
dear  old  fellow  with  it  all ! "  he  would 
exclaim,  remorsefully.  Again,  he  would  be 
piqued  because  Gilbert  did  not  apparently 
miss  him;  because  he  moved  on  undis- 
turbed, going  his  own  way,  and  leaving 
the  Club  to  go  theirs.  Then  he  would 
say,  bitterly,  "  "Well,  let  him  keep  on ! 

24 


• 
370  GILBERT    STARR. 

he  hasn't  a  bit  of  heart,  anyhow,  and  I 
can  manage  without  him,  I  guess." 

But  he  could  not  "manage"  without 
him,  and  knew  it  well  enough. 

It  was  very  awkward,  too,  at  night,  when 
it  came  time  to  go  to  bed,  that  he  must 
share  the  same  pillow  with  his  friend.  He 
wished,  a  hundred  times,  that  he  had  kept 
his  own  bed  with  Gates.  But  there  was  no 
help  for  it  now,  and  so  he  wras  obliged  to 
get  in  one  side,  very  cool  and  grim,  while 
Gilbert  got  in  on  the  other,  rather  grave 
and  sober,  yet  not  without  a  trace  of  a  smile 
on  his  face,  sometimes,  it  was  all  so  ridicu- 
lous. Oh,  how  many  times  Ray  awoke  in 
the  stillness  of  the  night  to  find  his  friend 
sleeping  tranquilly  beside  him,  and  to  wish 
that  he  had  never  put  such  a  great  deep 
gulf  between  them ! 

"  He  doesn't  suffer  half  so  much  as  I  do  !  " 
he  would  think  at  such  times ;  "  and  he 


"MY  LESSONS."  371 

doesn't  mind  if  we  have  all  cut  him,  aiid  he's 
just  going  straight  on,  farther  and  farther 
away  from  us  all,  and  —  and  by  and  by 
there'll  be  no  catching  up  with  him."  Yet 
for  a  long,  long  time  he  could  not  bring  his 
mind  to  the  thought  of  "  endorsing "  Gil- 
bert's new  opinions,  and  especially  his  con- 
duct in  regard  to  the  prize-flag.  And  when 
he  found  that  his  friend  had  evidently  taken 
all  the  blame  upon  his  own  shoulders  and  that 
none  came  back  upon  the  Boat  Club, — when 
he  was  quite  sure  of  this,  and  had  got  over 
his  scruples,  then  pride  and  pique  held  him 
back.  But  when  October  was  fleeing  so 
fast,  all  the  days  like  so  many  lovely  pic- 
tures in  a  wonderful  framing,  and  the  first 
chill  breaths  floated  up  the  river  and  over 
the  land,  how  could  he  wait  longer?  It  was 
an  utter  impossibility  to  be  Gilbert's  enemy 
any  longer,  and  he  gave  up  the  thought. 
But  how  to  be  reconciled? 


372  GILBERT    STARR. 

It  came  about  that,  as  he  came  in  from 
playing  ball  one  evening,  he  found  Gilbert 
sitting  on  the  piazza,  without  books  or  pa- 
pers, and  quite  alone.  Here  was  an  oppor- 
tunity, and  he  almost  stopped ;  then  his  cour- 
age quite  forsook  him,  and  he  kept  on  up 
to  the  chamber,  vexed  and  out  of  patience 
with  himself.  But  when  he  had  reached 
the  top  of  the  stairs,  he  thought,  "  There 
never'll  be  any  better  time  I  He's  all  alone, 
and  it's  now,  or  never  ! "  and  turning  about, 
went  slowly  back,  looking  behind  to  see 
that  his  friends  of  the  Club  were  not  follow- 
ing. He  opened  the  glass  door  and  step- 
ped out  on  to  the  piazza,  to  find  that  in  his 
absence  Perry  Kent  had  made  his  appear- 
ance, and  was  leaning  against  Gilbert's  chair. 
A  sudden  chill  of  disappointment,  not  un- 
mixed with  jealousy,  came  over  him,  and  he 
stopped  short.  "  I  won't  go  near  him  !  " 
he  said,  bitterly. 


"MY  LESSONS."  373 

It  was  not  many  seconds,  however,  be- 
fore he  remembered  that  Perry  Kent  was  all 
the  friend  Gilbert  had  remaining.  Whom 
else  could  he  talk  or  chat  with  ?  —  and  who 
was  to  be  blamed  for  it?  "  I'm  a  fool!" 
he  thought,  and  closed  the  door  behind  him. 
Gilbert  did  not  hear,  Perry  did  not  notice. 
They  chatted  on,  merrily,  all  unconscious 
who  was  watching  at  the  farther  end  of  the 
piazza.  Ray  bit  his  lips,  and  paced  about 
with  his  hands  in  his  pockets. 

In  the  west  a  lucent  glow,  pure  and  shin- 
ing, overspread  the  sky,  and  against  the 
amber  background  Riverside  hill,  with  its 
roofs  and  steeples,  stood  up,  sharp  and 
clear  as  a  sculpture.  There  was  going  to 
be  an  evening-service  in  the  churches,  for 
just  then  the  bells  suddenly  struck  into  a 
sweet  chiming  that  floated  down  as  if  from 
belfries  in  the  clouds.  Ray  leaned  against 
a  pillar  to  listen,  and  as  the  silvery  echoes 


,374  GILBERT    STARR. 

rang  out  across  tlic  long  dusk  shadow 
through  which  the  river  rolled,  and  came 
up  to  his  ears  in  soft  and  soothing  whis- 
pers, his  heart  grew  tender  and  his  face 
wistful.  He  looked  across  his  shoulder  at 
the  two  figures,  and  wished  Perry  Kent 
would  run  away,  if  for  only  a  minute. 
When  the  bells  were  still,  he  went  on  with 
his  pacing,  up  and  down  the  steps,  a  little 
way  on  the  gravel-walk,  then  back  again 
to  the  piazza,  eager  and  restless. 

Tom  Fowler  found  him  here,  impatiently 
walking  about,  and  asked,  "What's  up 
now?  You  act  like  a  parson  that's  put  off 
his  sermon  till  Saturday  night  and  flies 
about  trying  to  think  it  up  !  May  I  ask 
what  the  text  is  to  be  to-morrow? — per- 
haps I  could  give  you  an  idea  or  two." 

Ray  did  not  fly  into  a  passion  as  usual, 
but  said,  "  Go  on  with  you,  Tom !  I  can't 
talk  with  you  now." 


"MY  LESSOXS."  375 

"But  aren't  you  chilly?" 

"It's  no  matter, — no,  I'm  warm  enough. 
Go  on,  Tom  I" 

Tom  went  on. 

Perry  Kent  heard  voices,  looked  around, 
but  saw  only  Ray  Hunter  walking  slowly 
up  and  down  the  farther  end  of  the  piazza. 
He  thought  little  of  it  then,  but  by  and  by, 
when  he  chanced  to  look  that  way  again, 
he  saw  the  figure  still  pacing.  Then  a  sud- 
den thought  flashed  into  his  mind,  only  a 
suspicion  at  first,  but  growing  into  a  cer- 
tainty as  he  pondered  o.ver  it.  It  kept  him 
silent  a  long  while.  At  last  he  said,  "  Gil- 
bert, I  guess,  perhaps,  I'd  better  go  in." 

'  Why,  no,  the  stars  are  just  coming  out ! 
What  are  you  going  'in "for,  now?" 

"Because,  I  —  I'd  better,  I  guess.  You 
won't  mind,  Gilbert?  And  perhaps  I'll  come 
back  after  a  while,  if  you  want  me  to." 

Gilbert    said,  "Well,   you're    funny!      I 


376  GILBERT   STARR. 

never  knew  you  want  to  rniss  the  stars  con> 
ing  out,  before.  Is  it  too  cold?" 

Perry  slipped  away  without  much  of  a 
reply,  and  was  not  particular  to  shut  the 
glass  door  very  softly. 

Ray  looked  around,  -saw  Gilbert  alone, 
and  exclaimed  to  himself,  "Bless  Perry 

Kent !     I  —  I  really  believe  he  did  that  on 

• 

purpose." 

His  friend's  face  was  turned  away  as  he 
hurried  eagerly  toward  him,  he  did  not  no- 
tice, did  not  hear;  looking  up  to  the  stars 
and  half  leaning  against  the  piazza-rail,  he 
did  not  turn  till-  he  heard,  — 

"  Gilbert !  ".  chokingly. 

"What,  Ray?" 

There  were  a  few  seconds  of  deep  silence, 
in  which  somebody  was  trying  to  find  his 
voice  enough  to  say,  "  We  two  can't  afford 
to  be  enemies?" 

"  No  !  "  and  their  hands  claspod. 


"MY  LESSONS."  377 

Something  bright  and  glittering  fell  on 
Gilbert's  sleeve.  Of  course  Ray  was  too  big 
to  cry,  and  presently  this  young  gentleman 
su}'s,  with  a  very  husky  voice,  — 

."  May  I  just  ask  you  to — to  — to  forgive 
me,  old  fellow?" 

Gilbert  put  his  arm  over  his  friend's 
shoulder.  "Of  course! "he  said;  "don't 
you  suppose  I  saw  —  don't  you  think  I  knew 
that  you  didn't  mean  it?  Oh,  Ray!" 

"  But,  Gilbert,  it  was  cruel  in  me.  I  — 
I'm  ashamed  !  —  and  I  was  miserable  all  the 
time.  And  if  you'll  just  let  me  be  your 
friend  once  more  — " 

'You  are!  you  were  all  the  tune!"  said 
Gilbert,  assuringly;  "it  was  hard,  some- 
times, but  I  thought  it  would  all  come  right, 
if  I  waited.  And  I  don't  believe  you  and  I 
can  help  being  friends,  Ray,  whatever  hap- 
pens." 

Ray  sat  down  on  the  arm  of  his  friend's 


378  GILBERT    STARR. 

chair,  hiding  his  face  with  one  hand,  while 
the  other  still  grasped  Gilbert's.  "  I  deserted 
you ! "  he  exclaimed,  shame  and  regret  ap- 
parent enough  in  his  voice ;  "  and  I  left 
you  to  bear  all  your  troubles  alone,  and 
now  it  don't  seem  right  that  you  should 
just  take  me  back  the  same  as  if  nothing  had 
happened !  " 

"Why?" 

"Because  —  I've  wronged  you,  and  — 
isn't  that  enough?  Can  you  ever  trust 
me — as  you  did  before?" 

"  Trust  Eay  Hunter?"  said  Gilbert,  with 
a  little  laugh;  "well,  I  think  I  can.  I 
shall  try  at  any  rate.  Haven't  you  been  the 
truest  of  fellows  since  the  first  day  I  came 
to  Rainford  school  till — till  then?  And 
do  you  think  I  would  cast  you  off  if  I 
could?  I  don't  think  you'll  leave  me 
again." 

"Desert  you  again!"  said  Ray;    "never, 


"MY  LESSONS."  379 

if  you  are  expelled  or  banished  or —  But 
I  won't  make  any  promises.  A  fellow 
can't  tell  —  he's  tempted  so  sometimes ; 
and  you'll  just  have  to  take  me  as  I  am." 

"I   do,"    said   Gilbert. 

Ray  sat  there  very  silent  and  very  hum- 
ble, and  too  happy  to  say  much  about  it. 
Gilbert  didn't  appear  'any  differently  than 
ever,  he  thought,  —  not  at  all  proud  and 
above  him  because  of  his  new  opinions, 
nor  as  if  he  were  one  whit  better  than 
himself;  but  just  the  same  dear,  frank, 
warm-hearted  friend,  who  could  forgive  a 
fellow's  faults  and  failings,  and  love  him 
as  before.  And  with  this  thought  in  his 
heart,  he  said,  falteringly, — 

"  I  thought  you  were  going  to  be  a — 
a  stiff,  priggish,  goody  sort  of  a  fellow 
that  nobody  could  like.  The  Club  all  said 
so ;  I  thought  so,  too,  when  you  proposed 
that  plan  about  the  flag.  But  they  know 


380  GILBERT    STARR. 

differently  now ;  so  do  I."  Gilbert  was 
silent.  "And  I  thought  another  thing.  It 
seemed  as  if  you  would  get  farther  and 
farther  off,  till  you  wouldn't  have  anything 
to  do  with  such  a  harum-scarum  fellow  as 
I,  or  the  rest  of  us,  —  a  kind  of  iceberg 
toward  us  all!" 

"Well,  do  I  freeze  you?"  Gilbert  asked. 

"  Freeze  me  !  Oh,  I  was  all  wrong  about 
it, — all  wrong!  and  if  you're  a  bit  farther 
off,  I  can't  see  it,  but  I  feel  you're  a  great 
deal  nearer  to  me.  And —  But  what's 
the  use  of  talking?  You're  Gilbert  Starr, 
and  that's  enough." 

The  stars  were  coming  out  in  golden 
fleets  and  shining  everywhere.  The  glow 
in  the  west  was  gone,  and  on  Riverside 
the  lights  gleamed  from  hundreds  of  win- 
daws.  A  boat  came  up  the  river,  trailing 
a  fiery  shadow  from  the  lantern  at  its  prow, 
and  the  air  was  so  still  that  they  could 


"MY  LESSONS."  381 

just  hear  the    grating    of   its   oars    in  the 
rowlocks. 

''  You  know,"  Ray  said,  as  his  eyes  fol- 
lowed it,  "  I  did  another  mean  thing.  Oh, 
Gilbert,  I'm  ready  to  hide  my  head  when 
I  think  of  it !  I  helped  to  make  you  re- 
sign your  place  in  the  Club.  If  I  had 
spoken  out,  if  I  had  done  as  I  ought,  they 
might  have  listened,  and  you  could  have 
kept  it,  perhaps.  And  now,  oh — " 
But  Gilbert  interrupted,  saying,  — 
"  Do  you  think  I  would  have  kept  it, 
Ray?  Why,  I  could  not  with  any  honor, 
after  what  had  been  said.  And  do  you 
think  I'm  sorry?  do  you  think  I  care  for 
the  place?  do  you  think  I  would  go  back 
to  it?  No!  I  was  sad  about  it  at  first, 
it  was  such  a  change  for  me,  you  see ;  but 
—do  you  know? — I  saw  at  last  why  it 
was  best  for  me  to  be  down  where  I  am 
now.  I  never  could  have  been  anj^thing 


382  GILBERT   STARR. 

but  the  dishonest  and  dishonorable  fellow 
I  was,  as  long  as  I  stayed  there,  for  the 
Club  were  strongest,  and  ruled  me.  And 
when  I  got  away,,  or  rather  when  they  put 
me  away,  it  was  just  the  blessedest  thing 
they  could  have  done  for  me.  You  don't 
see  how,  Ray?  Neither  did  I  at  first,  but 
when  I  look  back,  it  seems  to  me  as  if 
all  the  events  of  this  long  summer  had 
been  just  so  many  lessons  —  my  lessons  — 
to  teach  me  some  things  which  I  needed 
to  know  very  much.  And  I  hope  I've 
learned  some  of  them." 

Ray  was  silent  a  long  time ;  then  he 
said, — 

"  And  you  can  truly  say  that  you're  not 
sorry  for  what  you've  done?" 

"  Sorry !"  cried  Gilbert;  "oh,  Ray,  how 
can  you  ask  it?  I  believe  I'm  the  hap- 
piest fellow,  now,  in  Rainford  town!" 


"MY  LESSONS."  383 

Some  one  came  up  just  -then,  saying, 
mischievously,  — 

"Are   the   stars   out   yet,    Gilbert?" 

"Perry  Kent!"  cried  Ray,  "give  me 
your  hand,  you  blessed  little  fellow.  Talk 
about  lessons,  Gilbert, — why,  he's  given  me 
one  this  very  night,  and  I'm  not  going  to 
forget  it," 

Up  in  their  towers  across  the  river  the 
bells  tolled  out  heavily  for  nine,  and  be- 
fore their  echoes  had  died  away^Ir.  Win- 
terhalter's  last  bell  tinkled,  and  the  piazza 
was  empty  and  deserted. 

And  those  who  would  follow  Gilbert  to 
see  whether  his  feet  held  steadfast,  and 
where  his  path  led  him,  whether  he  failed, 
or  proved  -victorious,  must  look  for  him  in 
another  book. 


UCS8  LIBRARY 


